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2026 Best Value Food Science Schools in the New England Region

[Food Science](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/food-science-technology/food-science/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for food science students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Food Science Schools in the New England Region

2026 Best Value Food Science Schools in the New England Region

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the food science degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Food Science Schools

1

University Of Maine
Orono, ME

$13,326 In-State Tuition & Fees

$27,000 Avg Student Debt

$48,653 Median Earnings (10yr)

University Of Maine tops our 2026 list of the best value food science schools in the New England Region. Located in the suburb of Orono, University Of Maine is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,326, compared with $36,756 for out-of-state students. Food Science graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, food science degree recipients from University Of Maine generally make around $43,598. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Maine admits about 97% of applicants.

2

University Of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, MA

$17,772 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,234 Avg Student Debt

$71,631 Median Earnings (10yr)

University Of Massachusetts Amherst came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value food science schools. Set in the city of Amherst, University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $17,772, compared with $40,449 for out-of-state students. Food Science graduates carry a median of $25,234 in student loans. Early-career food science graduates make about $59,547. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Massachusetts Amherst admits about 60% of applicants.

View All Food Science Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced 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 · 6 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.