A Not-for-Profit Culinary College

The Culinary Institute of America is an independent, not-for-profit college. That’s a phrase you hear a lot in higher education, but what exactly does it mean, and why is it important to students?

What It Means

• Unlike most cooking schools, the CIA belongs to the world of prestigious colleges and universities that are typically not-for-profit institutions. As such, the college has accreditation through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, including Yale University and Columbia University.
• Not-for-profit colleges act in the public interest without commercial profit, and exist to provide programs that benefit others and society. They do not have “owners” or “shareholders.”
• This not-for-profit status enables the CIA to focus on the quality of education rather than on satisfying the investment expectations of shareholders.

Why It’s Important to Students

• At not-for-profit colleges, tuition helps to fund the cost of education, so students can be sure their tuition payments are not being paid out to owners or shareholders as profits.
• The CIA directs the financial resources it receives right back into its education mission, providing the best professional culinary education to thousands of students each year in our degree and certificate programs.
• The CIA can receive tax-deductible gifts and donations, and does so each year. These donations often fund scholarships, which offset some of the cost of a student’s education.
• Students who graduate from not-for-profit institutions show a much lower education-loan default rate. Since 2008, 25% of students who borrowed to go to a for-profit school have defaulted. The default rate among not-for-profit private colleges and universities for the same period is 7.6% (The New York Times, 02/04/11). Among CIA graduates, the figure is even lower-less than half the overall not-for-profit private rate (CIA Financial Aid Office, 02/07/11).

The bottom line: students attending The Culinary Institute of America can be confident that their tuition dollars are helping the CIA deliver on its educational mission, in preparation for their food careers.

Not-For-Profit Educational Organization Statement

The Culinary Institute of America is an independent, not-for-profit educational organization [Section 501 (c) (3)] pursuing its mission of providing the highest quality culinary education. This not-for-profit status distinguishes the Institute from others because it enables us to focus on the quality of education rather than on satisfying the investment expectations of shareholders.

Governed by a board of trustees not compensated for its services, the Institute benefits from the guidance of its board members, who represent the hospitality field as well as the professional and educational communities.