New England Culinary Institute (NECI) is one of the leading culinary schools in the United States. When we opened New England Culinary Institute (NECI) in 1980, we wanted to create a learning environment where students were asked to perform at the highest level possible from the very first day of school. Our culinary classrooms are not practice kitchens, but high-profit level restaurants, bakeries and retail outlets. This model did not exist when we began; we invented it. But what also sets us apart is NECI?s size. We are small by design. We have to be. In our minds, great hands-on learning does not take place in a lecture hall or demo kitchen for thirty students.
And then there is the location of the school. Vermont is at the forefront of a farm to table revolution. Farmers, artisan cheese makers ,brewers, wine makers, composters, organic seed producers, managers of CSA?s, distributors, members of the Vermont Fresh Network and the Vermont Chapter of the Slow Food Movement, the chef members of the Vermont Chapter of the American Culinary Federation, the staff at the Vermont Agency of Agriculture?these folks and many others are part of a growing community of food activists changing the way food is produced, distributed and consumed in the state and beyond. Together they provide a unique learning environment for NECI students who, through field trips and work opportunities arranged by the school, experience firsthand the exciting changes taking place, and learn skills not easily attained anywhere else.
School Highlights
New England Culinary Institute served 22 students (95% of students were full-time).
The college's student-teacher ratio of 2:1 was lower than the state community college average of 19:1.
Minority enrollment was 46% of the student body (majority Black and Hispanic), which was more than the state average of 22%.
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Note: Data may not be displayed on any public-facing website or service that replicates or resembles a college search or review portal without prior written permission. See our Terms of Service.
Note: Data may not be displayed on any public-facing website or service that replicates or resembles a college search or review portal without prior written permission. See our Terms of Service.
Note: Data may not be displayed on any public-facing website or service that replicates or resembles a college search or review portal without prior written permission. See our Terms of Service.
Note: Data may not be displayed on any public-facing website or service that replicates or resembles a college search or review portal without prior written permission. See our Terms of Service.
Note: Data may not be displayed on any public-facing website or service that replicates or resembles a college search or review portal without prior written permission. See our Terms of Service.
Note: Data may not be displayed on any public-facing website or service that replicates or resembles a college search or review portal without prior written permission. See our Terms of Service.
Note: Data may not be displayed on any public-facing website or service that replicates or resembles a college search or review portal without prior written permission. See our Terms of Service.
Note: Data may not be displayed on any public-facing website or service that replicates or resembles a college search or review portal without prior written permission. See our Terms of Service.
Note: Data may not be displayed on any public-facing website or service that replicates or resembles a college search or review portal without prior written permission. See our Terms of Service.
Note: Data may not be displayed on any public-facing website or service that replicates or resembles a college search or review portal without prior written permission. See our Terms of Service.
Note: Data may not be displayed on any public-facing website or service that replicates or resembles a college search or review portal without prior written permission. See our Terms of Service.
Note: Data may not be displayed on any public-facing website or service that replicates or resembles a college search or review portal without prior written permission. See our Terms of Service.
Note: Data may not be displayed on any public-facing website or service that replicates or resembles a college search or review portal without prior written permission. See our Terms of Service.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
Note: Data may not be displayed on any public-facing website or service that replicates or resembles a college search or review portal without prior written permission. See our Terms of Service.
Median Debt for Graduates
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$19,042
Median Debt for Dropouts
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$5,500
Acceptance Rate
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82%
SAT Reading
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510
SAT Math
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489
SAT Writing
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435
ACT Composite
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21
ACT English
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19
ACT Math
n/a
21
Source: 2023 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
School Notes
New England Culinary Institute has been an innovator and a leader
in the field of culinary education for over 30 years. As you get to
know us, you will discover some of the distinctive features that
have defined NECI since it was founded in 1980. Most fundamental to
our educational philosophy is our focus on the student. NECI?s
primary mission is to provide every student with meaningful
opportunities to attain the skills and knowledge necessary for
success and advancement within the hospitality industry. To ensure
this success, NECI has small classes that are designed to make
certain that each student receives the kind of instruction and
personal attention he or she needs in order to develop a
competitive edge within the fast-paced and ever-changing industry.
In addition to the advantages of small class size, our classes are
taught by instructors who are highly skilled professionals as well
as effective teachers. NECI seeks out talented chefs and
restaurateurs with an interest and an aptitude for teaching. Our
chef instructors constantly receive feedback about their teaching
skills, based in part on student evaluations. NECI students also
track their own development, skill acquisition and growth through a
unique, non-punitive self-evaluation system. In addition to helping
students master industry-specific skills and knowledge, teachers
measure student performance in a wide range of areas specific to
each program. In all programs, instructors measure time management,
teamwork, organizational skills, professionalism and use of the
senses. Unlike other culinary schools, NECI will never have large
programs. Our administrators and faculty recognize that the
learning process is different for each student. Not only must
classes be small, but overall programs must be formulated in order
to allow the staff and administrators to know each student
individually. Frequent testimonials from our graduates and their
employers continually renew our belief in the value and advantages
of this kind of education. One final comment about NECI: everyone
at the school ? students, faculty, staff, and administrators ? is
proud of the ideals that are inherent in the school?s philosophy.
We know that the ongoing challenge is to constantly renew
everyone?s understanding of our educational philosophy while at the
same time, adapt to the ever-changing conditions in the dynamic
industry of which we are a part.
Nearby Schools
The nearest community college to New England Culinary Institute is Vermont State University (23.6 miles away)
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Did You Know?
For Vermont public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $6,570 per year for in-state students and $12,134 for out-of-state students. For private community colleges, the average yearly tuition is approximately $38,857 per year. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.
