2023 Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Food Science
53
Ranked Colleges
1,167
Degrees Awarded
$32,800
Avg Cost*
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 1,812 people earned their degree in food science, making the major the 305th most popular in the United States.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,167 food science graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.
For this year’s “Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking, we looked at 53 colleges that offer a degree in food science. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in food science.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
More Ways to Rank Food Science Schools
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s” list to help you make the college decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s
The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree food sciences students.
Top 25 Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Food Science
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 81 bachelors’s food sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Food Science at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s. This large school is located in Lincoln, Nebraska, and it awarded 77 bachelors’s food sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full University of Nebraska - Lincoln Food Science Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Clemson University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s list. Clemson is a public institution located in Clemson, South Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 71 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Food Science at Clemson
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Davis. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s. University of California - Davis is a large school located in Davis, California that handed out 57 bachelors’s food sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Food Science at University of California - Davis
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Fresno. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s list. California State University - Fresno is a large public school situated in Fresno, California. It awarded 49 bachelors’s food sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Food Science at Fresno State
With a ranking of #6, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s list. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a public institution located in San Luis Obispo, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Food Science at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
Iowa State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Ames, Iowa, this large public school awarded 42 degrees to qualified bachelors’s food sciences students in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Iowa State University Food Science Report
With a ranking of #8, University of Maryland - College Park did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s list. UMCP is a public institution located in College Park, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 41 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Food Science at University of Maryland - College Park
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #8. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is a public institution located in Pomona, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 41 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
Read more about Food Science at Cal Poly Pomona
With a ranking of #10, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s list. Michigan State is a large school located in East Lansing, Michigan that handed out 38 bachelors’s food sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
Read full report on Food Science at Michigan State
Mississippi State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #10. Mississippi State University is located in Mississippi State, Mississippi and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 38 bachelors’s food sciences degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Read more about Food Science at Mississippi State
Rutgers University - New Brunswick came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Rutgers University - New Brunswick is a public institution located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The school has a large population, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Food Science at Rutgers University - New Brunswick
Kansas State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #13. Kansas State University is located in Manhattan, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 35 bachelors’s food sciences degrees to qualified students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Food Science at Kansas State University
Oregon State University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Oregon State University is a public institution located in Corvallis, Oregon. The school has a large population, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full Oregon State Food Science Report
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. UMN Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 33 bachelors’s food sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Food Science at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Cornell University ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s list. Cornell University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Ithaca, New York. It awarded 29 bachelors’s food sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Cornell University Food Science Report
University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #17 on this year’s Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s list. UW - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 25 bachelors’s food sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Food Science at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Virginia Tech landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in Blacksburg, Virginia, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s food sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Food Science at Virginia Tech
The University of Tennessee - Knoxville ranked #19 on this year’s Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, this large public school awarded 23 degrees to qualified bachelors’s food sciences students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Food Science at UT Knoxville
With a ranking of #20, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s list. Purdue University - Main Campus is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Purdue University - Main Campus Food Science Report
University of Massachusetts Amherst ranked #20 on this year’s Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s list. UMass Amherst is located in Amherst, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s food sciences degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read more about Food Science at UMass Amherst
University of Florida did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #22. UF is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 19 bachelors’s food sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Food Science at University of Florida
Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school awarded 19 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s food sciences students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Food Science at Ohio State University - Main Campus
North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 18 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s food sciences students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Read more about Food Science at North Carolina State University
University of Georgia landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Food Sciences Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Athens, Georgia, this large public school awarded 18 degrees to qualified bachelors’s food sciences students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Food Science at University of Georgia