2027 Best Value Food & Nutrition Schools in North Carolina

[Food & Nutrition](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/food-nutrition-services/food-nutrition-wellness/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for food & nutrition students.
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2027 Best Value Food & Nutrition Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in food & nutrition, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Food & Nutrition Schools
North Carolina A And T State University tops our 2027 list of the best value food & nutrition schools in North Carolina. Set in the city of Greensboro, North Carolina A And T State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,813, while out-of-state students pay about $20,673. Typical student debt for food & nutrition graduates is $31,000. Early-career food & nutrition graduates make about $50,715. That is a strong return on a $31,000 median debt. North Carolina A And T State University admits about 50% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill earned it the #2 place for food & nutrition. Located in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,994, with out-of-state students paying around $41,203. Students borrow a median of $15,117 to complete the food & nutrition program here. Food & Nutrition graduates of University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill earn a median of $23,633 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,117 median debt. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill admits about 15% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes East Carolina University one of the best values for food & nutrition. East Carolina University is a very large public school located in the city of Greenville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,361, compared with $23,638 for out-of-state students. Food & Nutrition graduates carry a median of $24,747 in student loans. Food & Nutrition graduates of East Carolina University earn a median of $51,931 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,747 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.
Students looking for strong value in food & nutrition will find it at Meredith College, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Raleigh, Meredith College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $45,630 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for food & nutrition graduates is $26,618. Soon after graduation, food & nutrition degree recipients from Meredith College generally make around $22,422. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in food & nutrition will find it at Johnson And Wales University Charlotte, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Charlotte, Johnson And Wales University Charlotte is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $41,982. Food & Nutrition graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, food & nutrition degree recipients from Johnson And Wales University Charlotte generally make around $32,586. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.
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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.