2026 Best Food & Nutrition Schools in the The Plains States Region
Food & Nutrition degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
College Factual analyzed 11 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best food & nutrition schools.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Food & Nutrition in the The Plains States Region
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the food & nutrition degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Food & Nutrition
No school ranked higher than University Of Nebraska Lincoln this year for food & nutrition. Set in the city of Lincoln, University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a very large public institution. Roughly 67% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of Nebraska Lincoln awarded about 168 food & nutrition degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, food & nutrition degree recipients from University Of Nebraska Lincoln generally make around $39,528. University Of Nebraska Lincoln graduates carry a median of $25,256 in student loans.
More information about a degree in food & nutrition from University Of Nebraska Lincoln
A rank of #2 makes North Dakota State University Main Campus one of the top schools for food & nutrition. Set in the city of Fargo, North Dakota State University Main Campus is a large public institution. Roughly 64% of students complete a degree within six years here. North Dakota State University Main Campus awarded about 35 food & nutrition degrees in the most recent data year. Food & Nutrition graduates of North Dakota State University Main Campus earn a median of $60,498 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $25,153 to complete this degree.
See the full food & nutrition program report for North Dakota State University Main Campus
A rank of #3 makes Waldorf College one of the top schools for food & nutrition. This mid-sized private for-profit university is located in the rural area of Forest City. About 24% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 16 food & nutrition students who graduated with this degree at Waldorf College in the most recent data year. Food & Nutrition graduates of Waldorf College earn a median of $63,346 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $24,622 to complete this degree.
Read more about the food & nutrition program at Waldorf College
Lincoln University Missouri is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in food & nutrition, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Jefferson City, Lincoln University Missouri is a mid-sized public university. The six-year graduation rate is 20%. There were roughly 25 food & nutrition students who graduated with this degree at Lincoln University Missouri in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, food & nutrition degree recipients from Lincoln University Missouri generally make around $37,449. Typical student debt for the program is $32,831.
See the full food & nutrition program report for Lincoln University Missouri
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 11 schools evaluated.
- 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.
