Institute of Culinary Education is a private for-profit institution offering associate degrees based in Pasadena, California. It enrolls 553 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
AccreditorAccrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges
Academic CalendarContinuous
How It Measures Up
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (2-Year), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Strong
78/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes89
Value—
Affordability32
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Institute of Culinary Education admits essentially everyone who qualifies, so plan around cost and completion instead of your odds of getting in.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. Institute of Culinary Education has not reported one, so ask the financial aid office for a written estimate before comparing it against anywhere else.
Average Net Price
—
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
29%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
45%
Borrowing to attend
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,72810%percentile
$3,97225%percentile
$6,439Medianpercentile
$6,86175%percentile
$6,86190%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $3,972
↓ $2,467
No Pell $4,561
↓ $1,878
Dependent students $3,915
↓ $2,524
Independent students $6,671
↑ $232
Female students $3,972
↓ $2,467
Male students $3,972
↓ $2,467
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $3,431, less than completers ($6,439), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
87% of students who start here finish within six years, and 84% come back after first year. Most people who start here leave with the degree they came for. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
87%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
84%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Strong completion signals. Most students who start, finish.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $47,865 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$47,865
Earning > $25K
70%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
12.1 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 84% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 553 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 44% are the first in their family to go to college, and 88% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.
Total Enrolled
553
Part-Time
88%
First-Generation
44%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 28.4%157
Hispanic 24.4%135
Other 13.6%75
Asian 10.5%58
Black 9.2%51
International 9.0%50
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Institute of Culinary Education. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Midsize CityPasadena, California
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
52%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Continuousscheduling structure
Designation
Branch campus
What You Can Study
Institute of Culinary Education offers
a focused set of programs:
2 distinct programs across
1 major.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 11 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
11:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Avg Faculty Salary
$27,413
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
19 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
No Rank
19
100%
$27,413
Pros & Cons of Institute of Culinary Education
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Institute of Culinary Education is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
For-profit institution, verify accreditation and outcomes carefully
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Institute of Culinary Education is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Institute of Culinary Education
The questions families ask most about Institute of Culinary Education, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Institute of Culinary Education hard to get into?
Not especially. Institute of Culinary Education admits most qualified applicants, and reports no competitive acceptance rate. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Institute of Culinary Education?
No acceptance rate is reported, which for a college like this normally means admission is open to anyone meeting the basic requirements. Confirm with the admissions office rather than assuming it.
What is Institute of Culinary Education known for?
Mostly Culinary Arts, Culinary Arts. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Institute of Culinary Education graduates earn?
About $47,865 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Institute of Culinary Education accredited?
Yes. Institute of Culinary Education is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.
How many students attend Institute of Culinary Education?
553 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Institute of Culinary Education?
87% finish within six years. Most people who start here graduate, which is the signal you want. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Institute of Culinary Education a public or private college?
It is Private For-Profit. Private for-profit, so compare completion and earnings carefully against a public alternative.
Where is Institute of Culinary Education located?
Institute of Culinary Education is located in Pasadena, California.
What programs does Institute of Culinary Education offer?
2 different programs, most commonly Culinary Arts, Culinary Arts. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Institute of Culinary Education?
11 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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