2027 Best Value Food Science Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Food Science](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/food-science-technology/food-science/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for food science students.
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2027 Best Value Food Science Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in food science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Food Science Schools
Leading the list is University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, our #1 best value for food science in the Great Lakes Region. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. In-state tuition and fees average $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Food Science graduates carry a median of $19,000 in student loans. Food Science graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $65,432 early in their careers. Set against $19,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Students looking for strong value in food science will find it at Purdue University Main Campus, which ranked #2. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,992, compared with $28,794 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for food science graduates is $19,844. Soon after graduation, food science degree recipients from Purdue University Main Campus generally make around $63,111. Set against $19,844 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 50% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Ohio State University Main Campus earned it the #3 place for food science. Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Columbus. Students from in state pay about $13,244 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $40,022. Food Science graduates carry a median of $20,534 in student loans. Early-career food science graduates make about $59,889. Set against $20,534 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Ohio State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Wisconsin Madison earned it the #4 place for food science. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public school located in the city of Madison. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,603, while out-of-state students pay about $42,103. Typical student debt for food science graduates is $21,813. Food Science graduates of University Of Wisconsin Madison earn a median of $59,877 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 45% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in food science will find it at University Of Wisconsin Stout, which ranked #5. Located in the town of Menomonie, University Of Wisconsin Stout is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,701, with out-of-state students paying around $19,265. Typical student debt for food science graduates is $25,821. Early-career food science graduates make about $54,235. Set against $25,821 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Illinois Institute Of Technology placed #6 among the best values for food science. Located in the city of Chicago, Illinois Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $52,202. Food Science graduates carry a median of $26,774 in student loans. Soon after graduation, food science degree recipients from Illinois Institute Of Technology generally make around $71,315. Set against $26,774 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Illinois Institute Of Technology admits about 55% of applicants.
Michigan State University earned the #7 position for value in food science this year. Set in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,079, while out-of-state students pay about $44,850. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the food science program here. Early-career food science graduates make about $75,787. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.