Best Culinary & Pastry Schools in Richmond, Virginia (2026)

Updated May 26, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Richmond sits within the Virginia culinary professional workforce, served by accredited training providers. For context, the state median annual wage for this occupation is approximately $63,270 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Richmond Quick Facts

MetricValueSource
State median annual wage$63,270BLS OEWS, May 2025
Virginia pay range (10th to 90th percentile)$43,010 to $90,470BLS OEWS, May 2025
Richmond, VA metro median wage$59,730BLS OEWS, May 2025
National job outlook (2024 to 2034)+7.1% growth, about 24,400 openings per yearBLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034
State employment3,600 workersBLS OEWS, May 2025
Richmond County establishments330BLS QCEW, 2024
Richmond County industry employment5,650BLS QCEW, 2024
Richmond County unemployment rate3.2%BLS LAUS, 2024
Virginia location quotient0.68BLS OEWS, May 2025

Nearby Cities

Explore the Culinary professional Career

What You’ll Find Below

The school listings below are sorted by proximity to Richmond. Each entry includes the school name, address, and the credentials offered. Use the Richmond County and Virginia figures above as a reference point when comparing program length, schedule, and tuition.

Culinary & Pastry Schools near Richmond

#4

Piedmont Virginia Community College

Charlottesville, VA 64.7 miles away
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 36.8% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 26
  • Annual completions: 218
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing: $51,090 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

Tidewater Community College

Norfolk, VA 80.4 miles away
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 30.9% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 58
  • Annual completions: 2427
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing: $48,786 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

Culinary And Pastry Salary Snapshot

U.S.
U.S. Median Pay $40,078 $19.27 per hour
Job Outlook 12.9% 245,100 jobs (2024–2034)
315,000 openings/yr
Data Year: 2025 SOC: 35-1011 Source: BLS OEWS

Culinary-And-Pastry Salary in U.S.

Median Salary $40,078 $19.27/hr
Average Salary $41,729 $20.06/hr

Salary Range

$37,900 10th pctl
$40,078 Median
$98,560 90th pctl
10th Percentile $37,900 $18.22/hr
25th Percentile $48,440 $23.29/hr
75th Percentile $78,750 $37.86/hr
90th Percentile $98,560 $47.39/hr

Employment & Outlook

Total Employed1,846,130
Growth (2024-2034)12.9%
Annual Openings315,000
Jobs per 1,0001.3

Chefs and Head Cooks (35-1011) • BLS OEWS, May 2025 • bls.gov/oes

Next Steps

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade career guide using BLS, DOL, and state licensing data. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.