School and Ranking Info
Aspiring restaurant managers in the Pittsburgh, PA, area can choose from among two for-profit schools and one community college. The latter is less than 20 miles away from Pittsburgh and offers an industry accredited degree program in culinary and restaurant management.
- Winner: Westmoreland County Community College is a multi-site school with a main campus in Youngwood, PA. Through the college's Center for Culinary Arts and Hospitality, students can earn a certificate, a diploma or an associate degree in culinary and restaurant management while acquiring some hands-on experience in the field.
School Info Chart
| Category | Westmoreland County Community College |
|---|---|
| Location | Youngwood, PA |
| School Type | 2-year; public |
| Tuition and Fees (2021-2022) | Undergraduate: $5,5,98 (in-district); $9,732 (in-state); $13,722 (out-of-state)* |
| Restaurant, Culinary and Catering Management Awards Offered | Certificate, diploma and associate |
| Restaurant, Culinary and Catering Management Awards Conferred (all levels) in 2020-2021 | 2* |
| Most Popular Restaurant, Culinary and Catering Management Program in 2020-2021 | Associate (2 awarded)* |
| Undergraduate Graduation Rate (in 150% of normal degree time) for 2018 Entering Class | 22%* |
| Noteworthy | American Culinary Federation Foundation has accredited the associate degree program in culinary and restaurant management through 2020 |
Source: *NCES College Navigator
Westmoreland County Community College
- Culinary and restaurant management certificate and associate degree programs include an internship
- Students in the culinary and restaurant management programs learn how to use operational technology
- 'The Chef's Table' fundraising event supports students' scholarships
Westmoreland County Community College is a rural school that enrolls over 4,600 students a year and has a student-faculty ratio of 17 to 1. The Center for Culinary Arts and Hospitality offers a wide range of certificate and/or degree programs, including programs in management that teach students how to run dining rooms, hotels, motels and restaurants. Students in the restaurant and culinary management programs purchase kitchen tool kits and uniforms; they must also provide proof of good health and dress according to the restaurant industry's sanitation standards.
The Certificate in Restaurant and Culinary Management requires 19 credits and includes courses in customer service, food, dining room procedures and sanitation. Similar coursework can be found in the 32-credit diploma curriculum, which provides students with additional training in food purchasing, menu management, nutrition and quantity food production. Unique to the 65-66-credit degree program are courses in a la carte food preparation, baking, beverage management and catering. All of the culinary and restaurant management programs require a course in the use of microcomputers; degree-seeking students complete an additional 15 credits in general education.
