A degree or certificate in culinary arts can lead to an exciting, hands-on career that is both personally and financially rewarding.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual wage reported by chefs and head cooks in Maryland was $66,560 as of May 2023.
Salaries for workers in this profession vary depending on experience, the type of establishment you work for, and the region, among other factors.
Entry-level salaries typically start in the range of $40,000 and increase as workers gain experience.
If you want to prepare for a career as a chef, baker, or head cook, this page is for you.
Here we have compiled information about the best culinary and baking schools in Maryland and the programs they offer.
The programs cover all aspects of kitchen work, including:
- Menu planning
- Food sanitation production
- Purchasing and inventory methods
Students are also required to gain experience in a commercial kitchen through an internship or apprenticeship program.
We encourage you to start your research by reading our selection of top culinary and baking schools in the state of Maryland.
#1Anne Arundel Community College
About the School
Anne Arundel Community College offers opportunities for students to redefine themselves at any age and at any point in their lives.
Associate degrees and credit certificates that prepare students for transfer to a four-year institution or to move immediately into a career.
Courses Offered
The Culinary and Pastry Arts program at Anne Arundel Community College prepares students for exciting, hands-on careers.
A variety of nationally recognized programs are available and taught by instructors with extensive industry experience.
The Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism Institute has dual locations in Glen Burnie and Arnold.
The following career degrees are available:
- Hotel/Restaurant Management, Baking and Pastry, A.A.S.
- Hotel/Restaurant Management, Culinary Arts, A.A.S.
Credit certificate offerings are also available:
- Fundamentals of Cooking and Baking Certificate
- Baking and Pastry Certificate
- Culinary Arts Certificate
Contact Information
- Address: 101 College Parkway, Arnold, MD 21012-1895
- Phone: 410-777-AACC (2222)
- Website: https://www.aacc.edu
#2Maryland Food Bank
About the School
Maryland Food Bank offers a Foodworks Culinary Training Program.
This program offers a fresh start to low-income individuals with 12 weeks of intense culinary training.
Students learn both professional and intra-personal skills, producing well-rounded chefs capable of working in any culinary setting.
Over the course of three months, students are guided through a curriculum that includes fundamental culinary techniques, nutrition, menu planning, and job-seeking skills.
Courses Offered
Students learn:
- Knife identification/Professional knife handling skills
- Kitchen math
- Baking basics
- Sauce secrets
- Commercial kitchen equipment
- Identify fresh fruits and vegetables
- Work with pastas, legumes, and grains
- Earning ServSafe Manager Certification
- Crafting desserts
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 2200 Halethorpe Farms Rd. Baltimore, MD 21227
- Phone: (410) 737-8282
- Website: https://mfbfoodworks.org
#3Prince George's Community College
About the School
Prince George’s Community College has a Culinary Arts Center opened in 2018 as a full-service facility that provides immersive, hands-on training for students who pursue careers in culinary arts, food service, hospitality management, tourism, and event operations.
The facility spans over 21,000 square feet and features:
- Three training kitchens
- Interactive demonstration kitchen
- Community kitchen
- Beverage mixology room
- Instructional classrooms
- Convertible event spaces
- Administrative offices
Courses Offered
Program outcomes include:
- Mastery of foundational and advanced culinary techniques
- Experience working in a professional kitchen and service environments
- Knowledge of food safety
- Sanitation
- Industry compliance standards
Contact Information
- Address: 301 Largo Road, Largo, MD 20774
- Phone: 301-546-PGCC (7422)
- Website: https://www.pgcc.edu
#4Howard Community College
About the School
Howard Community College offers a Culinary Arts Management program that leads to an A.A.S. degree.
Students also have the opportunity to develop their skills for cooking in a professional environment through a one-year certificate program.
They develop skills in:
- Food handling and preparation
- Purchasing
- Cost control
- Service skills
- Management skills
The certificate is designed for those who are interested in pursuing a career in the culinary field.
Courses Offered
The following related programs are available:
- Baking and Pastry Arts- Culinary Management Certificate
- Culinary Arts- Culinary Management Certificate
- Baking and Pastry Arts Management- A.A.S.
- Restaurant Management- Hospitality Management Certificate
Contact Information
- Address: 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD 21044
- Phone: 443-518-1000
- Website: https://www.howardcc.edu
#5Wor-Wic Community College
Wor-Wic Community College offers affordable tuition, flexible class schedules, and supportive learning environments designed to fit students’ lives.
Courses Offered
The Culinary Arts program at Wor-Wic Community College offers the following degree options:
- Culinary Arts A.A.S.- a program that provides students with the knowledge and skills needed for entry-level positions in the culinary industry or to transfer their credits to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore or another four-year college or university.
- Culinary Arts, Certificate- a certificate that prepares students for entry-level positions in the culinary industry
Tuition is $136 per credit hour for in-county students.
Wor-Wic’s culinary arts programs are accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation’s Accrediting Commission.
Contact Information
- Address: 32000 Campus Drive, Salisbury, MD 21804
- Phone: 410-334-2800
- Website: https://www.worwic.edu
#6Metropolitan Culinary Arts Institute
About the School
Metropolitan Culinary Arts Institute offers students the opportunity to earn Culinary Arts and Bread & Pastry Arts Certificates.
The institute is located in Arlington and offers immersive training in essential skills like brigade operations, cooking fundamentals, multicultural and French cuisine, baking and pastry arts, business acumen, and culinary math.
The classes are kept small, and the institute offers a hands-on approach and modern techniques.
Certificate programs are available in:
- Accelerated Culinary Arts
- Bread & Pastry Arts
The Baking and Pastry Arts Certification program covers a full spectrum of baking essentials, from foundational skills to advanced pastry techniques.
Students are guided through both classic and modern methods.
They learn the foundations of baking, including:
- Food safety
- Ingredient functions
- The science behind gluten development and leavening.
The program is accredited by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.
Tuition is $19,900 for a 21-week program.
Contact Information
- Address: 4238 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22203
- Phone: (571) 484-1698
- Website: https://metroculinaryarts.com
#7Allegany College of Maryland
About the School
Allegany College of Maryland offers a school of Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts.
The school provides a Registered Apprenticeship program that partners with businesses in the hospitality and management industry.
Employees have the opportunity to receive classroom education while they continue to work and gain hands-on experience.
They have the chance to receive a degree or certificate while they work full-time.
Students learn:
- Hotel front office operations and procedures
- How to create a well-designed menu
- How to develop successful marketing plans
- How to design, plan, and execute successful events
- Identify and evaluate the quality of beer and environmental sustainability in modern beer production
Contact Information
- Address: Gateway Center, 110 Baltimore St, Cumberland, MD 21502
- Phone: 301-784-5406
- Website: https://www.allegany.edu
#8Culinary Craft Workshop
About the School
Culinary Craft Workshop offers recreational cooking classes.
Classes are hands-on and offered by trained chefs.
The Culinary Craft Workshop is a cooking classroom located in downtown Catonville, Maryland.
Through doing and observing, students leave with the confidence to recreate each recipe at home.
Adult classes, parent & child classes, and kids classes are available.
The adult classes cover American, European, asian, global, brunch and breakfast, baking & pastry, and more.
Baking & pastry classes cost between $85-$105.
The following classes are available:
- Breads, Bagels & Buns
- Cupcakes
- Cookies
- French Macarons
- Chocolate Basics
- Holiday Pies Workshop
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 75 Mellor ave, Catonsville, Maryland 21228 USA
- Phone: 443-310-1717
- Website: https://culinarycraftworkshop.com
#9Laurel Institutes
Laurel Institutes offers a School of Culinary Arts that provides a strong foundation in the art of cooking through theory, technique, and plate training.
Courses Offered
The 16-month immersive degree program available at the school helps students develop a strong foundation in the art of cooking through theory, technique, and plate training.
Chef instructors guide students through an incredible range of tastes and flavors, from herbs and condiments to vegetables and meats.
Students also spend a semester growing and harvesting food in an on-campus garden.
They also gain practical experience with these skills through on-the-job training in three separate internship rotations at some of the region’s leading culinary providers.
Content courses include:
- Sanitation and Safety
- Sustainability, Horticulture, & Local Sourcing
- Food & Beverage Management
- American Regional Cuisines
- International Cuisines
- Culinary Fundamentals
- Menu Planning
Contact Information
- Address: 345 Patricia Lane, Suite 105, Fort Mill, SC 29708
- Website: https://laurel.edu
#10Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School
Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School offers in-person classes available in morning and evening schedules.
Courses Offered
The following courses are available:
- Food Service Principles- a course that includes:
- Sanitation & Safety
- Product Knowledge
- Basic Knife Skills
- Cooking Principles
- Planning & Preparation
- Culinary Math
- And more
- Food Service Operations- a five-month skills training program that emphasizes:
- Workplace organizational skills
- Food production
- Menu planning
- Customer service skills
- Team-building skills
- Baking and Pastry- a five-month skills training program that focuses on entry-level baking techniques
Contact Information
- Address: 1100 Harvard Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009
- Phone: (202) 797-4700
- Website: https://www.carlosrosario.org
Schools Summary Table
Culinary & Pastry Average Salary in Maryland
Estimated Earnings Range:| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
|
$37K
|
|
|
$64K
|
|
|
$93K
|
Culinary & Pastry Salary by Metro Area in Maryland
| Metro Area | Employed | Avg. Annual | Avg. Hourly | Top 10% | Bottom 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 1,670 | $63,850 | $30.70 | $90,050 | $36,880 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 90 | $54,240 | $26.08 | $73,150 | $33,120 |
| Lexington Park, MD | 70 | $63,790 | $30.67 | $79,940 | $38,450 |
| Salisbury, MD | 40 | $57,370 | $27.58 | $77,200 | $36,730 |
* Employment opportunities may differ based on your location.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have read our selection of the best culinary and baking schools in Maryland, it’s time to continue the research and apply for the program that best fits your learning style and career aspirations.
This is an important step, so make sure you gain information about all the factors that are relevant to you.
