2026 Best Value Food Science Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
[Food Science](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/food-science-technology/food-science/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 11 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for food science students.
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2026 Best Value Food Science Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in food science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Food Science Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Maryland College Park the best value for a degree in food science in the Middle Atlantic Region. University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public school located in the suburb of College Park. Students from in state pay about $11,809 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $41,186. Typical student debt for food science graduates is $24,730. Soon after graduation, food science degree recipients from University Of Maryland College Park generally make around $24,341. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Maryland College Park admits about 45% of applicants.
Rutgers University New Brunswick is a great value for students pursuing a degree in food science, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of New Brunswick, Rutgers University New Brunswick is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $17,929 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $37,441. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the food science program here. Early-career food science graduates make about $51,892. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 58%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Cornell University earned it the #3 place for food science. Set in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $69,314. Students borrow a median of $15,750 to complete the food science program here. Food Science graduates of Cornell University earn a median of $64,062 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Cornell University admits about 9% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in food science will find it at Pennsylvania State University Main Campus, which ranked #4. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of University Park. In-state tuition and fees average $20,644, while out-of-state students pay about $41,790. Graduates go on to earn a median of $63,435 ten years after entry. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
