Culinary Arts at Fox Valley Technical College

Fox Valley Technical College's culinary program posts numbers that look strong nationally but tell a more nuanced story within Wisconsin. Graduates earn $34,736 in their first year—beating the national median by nearly $8,000 and landing in the 95th percentile among culinary programs nationwide. Within Wisconsin, though, this falls closer to the middle of the pack at the 60th percentile, suggesting the state has several strong culinary programs competing for similar outcomes.

The debt picture offers real advantage: at $14,234, graduates owe less than both the Wisconsin median ($16,810) and national median ($15,125) for culinary degrees. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.41, most graduates should be able to manage repayment without strain. Earnings remain essentially flat from year one to year four, which is typical in culinary careers where advancement often requires entrepreneurship or management roles rather than automatic progression.

The small sample size here (under 30 graduates tracked) means these numbers could shift significantly year to year, but the combination of below-average debt and above-average starting pay creates a workable foundation. For families in the Appleton area looking at culinary programs, this represents a lower-risk entry point into the field—though students serious about maximizing earnings might also investigate what makes Wisconsin's top culinary programs outperform this one.