Culinary education demands high time and financial commitments.

Culinary is an exciting and rewarding profession. Starting chefs may not earn high salaries, somewhere in the neighborhood of $30,000 per year but, as they move upward, the financial rewards can increase rapidly. Top chefs become celebrities, so much so that top restaurants become known with their names. Becoming a chef is not easy and requires a lot of time and financial commitments. Culinary art is taught in many culinary schools, community colleges and universities.

1. Tuition Fees
o Tuition fees for culinary education are highly dependent on the type of school and where it is located. In general, private universities have highest tuition fees that can go up to $30,000 per year. Public universities charge lower fees, which can be as little as a couple of thousand dollars per year.

The cheapest place to study culinary arts is generally a community college with tuition fees less than or equivalent to a public university. The tuition fees of specialized culinary schools range from a few thousand dollars per year to $30,000 or more per year, depending on its location and reputation.

2. Cost of Living
o Some culinary schools, colleges and universities make it mandatory to live on campus. Irrespective of where one lives, whether on campus or outside of campus, the cost of living is an important factor in determining the total cost of education. Generally, one should set aside approximately $10,000 to $20,000 per year as living expenses, depending on the location, type of accommodation and meal preferences.

3. Books and Other Study Materials
o Most education institutions mandate that students buy books and study materials for every course they take. This cost can range from $1,000 per year to about $3,000 per year, depending on the school and the materials purchased.

Travel Cost
o If one lives outside of the school campus, travel cost should be added to the total education cost. Most cities provide students with low-cost travel passes. The price of such passes can be anywhere from $1,000 per year to $2,000 per year.