2027 Best Value Food Science Schools in Illinois
[Food Science](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/food-science-technology/food-science/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for food science students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Food Science Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in food science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Food Science Schools
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earned the #1 spot for value among food science schools in Illinois. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. Students from in state pay about $18,267 in tuition and fees, compared with $40,096 for out-of-state students. Food Science graduates carry a median of $19,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, food science degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $65,432. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Students looking for strong value in food science will find it at Illinois Institute Of Technology, which ranked #2. Illinois Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Students from in state pay about $52,202 in tuition and fees. Food Science graduates carry a median of $26,774 in student loans. Food Science graduates of Illinois Institute Of Technology earn a median of $71,315 early in their careers. Set against $26,774 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 55%.
More Food Science Rankings
View All Food Science Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 2 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
