[Food, Nutrition & Related Services](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/food-nutrition-services/) 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.
College Factual analyzed 22 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value food, nutrition & related services schools.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in food, nutrition & related services, balancing cost against outcomes.
Our analysis ranked Cuny Hunter College the best value for a degree in food, nutrition & related services in New York. Located in the city of New York, Cuny Hunter College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $7,382, with out-of-state students paying around $15,332. Typical student debt for food, nutrition & related services graduates is $11,091. Soon after graduation, food, nutrition & related services degree recipients from Cuny Hunter College generally make around $39,756. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Cuny Hunter College admits about 54% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in food, nutrition & related services will find it at Schenectady County Community College, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Schenectady, Schenectady County Community College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,190, while out-of-state students pay about $8,974. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $40,902.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at New York University earned it the #3 place for food, nutrition & related services. Set in the city of New York, New York University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $62,796. Students borrow a median of $21,897 to complete the food, nutrition & related services program here. Food, Nutrition & Related Services graduates of New York University earn a median of $51,020 early in their careers. Set against $21,897 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. New York University admits about 9% of applicants.
Syracuse University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value food, nutrition & related services schools. Set in the city of Syracuse, Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $65,528. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the food, nutrition & related services program here. Early-career food, nutrition & related services graduates make about $44,219. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 46% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 22 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.
