[Food, Nutrition & Related Services](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/food-nutrition-services/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2027 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.
College Of The Albemarle earned the #1 spot for value among food, nutrition & related services schools in North Carolina. Set in the town of Elizabeth City, College Of The Albemarle is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,242 in tuition and fees, compared with $7,652 for out-of-state students. Food, Nutrition & Related Services graduates carry a median of $10,240 in student loans. Early-career food, nutrition & related services graduates make about $50,506. Set against $10,240 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Central Carolina Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in food, nutrition & related services, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Sanford, Central Carolina Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $2,711 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,855. Students borrow a median of $10,266 to complete the food, nutrition & related services program here. Food, Nutrition & Related Services graduates of Central Carolina Community College earn a median of $38,198 early in their careers. Set against $10,266 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #3 makes Halifax Community College one of the best values for food, nutrition & related services. Located in the rural area of Weldon, Halifax Community College is a small public university. In-state tuition and fees average $2,608, with out-of-state students paying around $8,752. Food, Nutrition & Related Services graduates of Halifax Community College earn a median of $70,982 early in their careers.
Students looking for strong value in food, nutrition & related services will find it at North Carolina A And T State University, which ranked #4. 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, compared with $20,673 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $31,000 to complete the food, nutrition & related services program here. Early-career food, nutrition & related services graduates make about $50,715. That is a strong return on a $31,000 median debt. Roughly 50% of applicants are accepted.
University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value food, nutrition & related services schools. Located in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,994, with out-of-state students paying around $41,203. Students borrow a median of $15,117 to complete the food, nutrition & related services program here. Food, Nutrition & Related Services 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. The acceptance rate is 15%.
East Carolina University earned the #6 position for value in food, nutrition & related services this year. Located in the city of Greenville, East Carolina University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,361 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $23,638. Typical student debt for food, nutrition & related services graduates is $24,747. Early-career food, nutrition & related services graduates make about $51,931. That is a strong return on a $24,747 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.
Meredith College came in at #7 for value in food, nutrition & related services this year. Set in the city of Raleigh, Meredith College is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $45,630. Students borrow a median of $26,618 to complete the food, nutrition & related services program here. Food, Nutrition & Related Services graduates of Meredith College earn a median of $22,422 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,618 median debt. Meredith College admits about 74% of applicants.
Johnson And Wales University Charlotte ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value food, nutrition & related services schools. Set in the city of Charlotte, Johnson And Wales University Charlotte is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $41,982. Typical student debt for food, nutrition & related services graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, food, nutrition & related services 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. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
