2026 Best Value Food Technology & Processing Schools
[Food Technology & Processing](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/food-science-technology/food-technology-and-processing/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 29 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value food technology & processing schools.
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Finding the Best Value Food Technology & Processing School for You
The food technology & processing program you select can have a big impact on your finances and your future. That is why we developed our Best Value Food Technology & Processing Schools ranking. We score each school on the balance of tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the best value.
See how we build our rankings
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Best Value Food Technology & Processing Schools list, to help you choose. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Learn more about our methodology
2026 Best Value Food Technology & Processing Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in food technology & processing, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Food Technology & Processing Schools
For return on investment in food technology & processing, no school beat University Of Georgia this year. Set in the city of Athens, University Of Georgia is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,450, with out-of-state students paying around $31,688. Food Technology & Processing graduates carry a median of $21,792 in student loans. Early-career food technology & processing graduates make about $82,065. Set against $21,792 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Arkansas earned it the #2 place for food technology & processing. Set in the city of Fayetteville, University Of Arkansas is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,104, while out-of-state students pay about $29,966. Typical student debt for food technology & processing graduates is $17,750. Soon after graduation, food technology & processing degree recipients from University Of Arkansas generally make around $53,205. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Arkansas admits about 74% of applicants.
Kansas State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in food technology & processing, landing the #3 spot this year. Kansas State University is a very large public school located in the city of Manhattan. In-state tuition and fees average $11,221, with out-of-state students paying around $28,568. Typical student debt for food technology & processing graduates is $24,844. Food Technology & Processing graduates of Kansas State University earn a median of $76,437 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 82%.
Students looking for strong value in food technology & processing will find it at University Of Maine, which ranked #4. University Of Maine is a large public school located in the suburb of Orono. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,326, with out-of-state students paying around $36,756. Typical student debt for food technology & processing graduates is $27,000. Early-career food technology & processing graduates make about $43,598. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 97%.
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Food Technology & Processing is one of many programs to choose from within the area of study. See all related rankings.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 29 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
