2027 Best Value Food Science Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Food Science](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/food-science-technology/food-science/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong food science education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for food science students.
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2027 Best Value Food Science Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in food science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Food Science Schools
For return on investment in food science, no school beat University Of Minnesota Twin Cities this year. Set in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $17,214, while out-of-state students pay about $38,362. Food Science graduates carry a median of $21,050 in student loans. Soon after graduation, food science degree recipients from University Of Minnesota Twin Cities generally make around $49,303. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities admits about 80% of applicants.
University Of Nebraska Lincoln came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value food science schools. Located in the city of Lincoln, University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,434 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,584. Typical student debt for food science graduates is $22,386. Soon after graduation, food science degree recipients from University Of Nebraska Lincoln generally make around $49,755. That is a strong return on a $22,386 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Iowa State University earned it the #3 place for food science. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. In-state tuition and fees average $10,787, with out-of-state students paying around $28,881. Students borrow a median of $26,254 to complete the food science program here. Soon after graduation, food science degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $60,267. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.
Kansas State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in food science, landing the #4 spot this year. Kansas State University is a very large public school located in the city of Manhattan. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,221, compared with $28,568 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for food science graduates is $24,844. Soon after graduation, food science degree recipients from Kansas State University generally make around $76,437. That is a strong return on a $24,844 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
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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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
