2027 Best Value Food Science Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

[Food Science](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/food-science-technology/food-science/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong food science education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for food science students.
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2027 Best Value Food Science Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the food science degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Food Science Schools
For return on investment in food science, no school beat University Of Maryland College Park this year. Set in the suburb of College Park, University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,809, compared with $41,186 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,730 to complete the food science program here. Early-career food science graduates make about $24,341. That is a strong return on a $24,730 median debt. The acceptance rate is 45%.
University Of Delaware came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value food science schools. Located in the suburb of Newark, University Of Delaware is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,810, while out-of-state students pay about $41,400. Typical student debt for food science graduates is $24,861. Food Science graduates of University Of Delaware earn a median of $54,155 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Rutgers University New Brunswick one of the best values for food science. Set in the city of New Brunswick, Rutgers University New Brunswick is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $17,929 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $37,441. Typical student debt for food science graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, food science degree recipients from Rutgers University New Brunswick generally make around $51,892. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 58%.
Cornell University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value food science schools. Located in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $69,314. Students borrow a median of $15,750 to complete the food science program here. Early-career food science graduates make about $64,062. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 9%.
Pennsylvania State University Main Campus came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value food science schools. Set in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $20,644 in tuition and fees, compared with $41,790 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the food science program here. Food Science graduates of Pennsylvania State University Main Campus earn a median of $59,722 early in their careers. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.