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2026 Best Value Food Science Technology Associate’s Degree Schools

[Food Science Technology](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/food-science-technology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 161 schools to find the best return on investment for food science technology students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Associate’s Degree Food Science Technology Schools
• Other Degree Levels

2026 Best Value Food Science Technology Schools in the United States

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

Best Value Food Science Technology Schools

1

Walla Walla Community College
Walla Walla, WA

$5,279 In-State Tuition & Fees

$15,500 Avg Student Debt

$43,526 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in food science technology, no school beat Walla Walla Community College this year. Walla Walla Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Walla Walla. In-state tuition and fees average $5,279, while out-of-state students pay about $6,700. Typical student debt for food science technology graduates is $15,500. Early-career food science technology graduates make about $46,131. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.

2

Napa Valley College
Napa, CA

$1,156 In-State Tuition & Fees

$49,517 Median Earnings (10yr)

Napa Valley College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in food science technology, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Napa, Napa Valley College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $1,156 in tuition and fees, compared with $11,908 for out-of-state students. Median earnings reach $49,517 ten years out.

Other Food Science Technology Degree Levels

Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Food Science Technology rankings across degree levels:

View All Food Science Technology Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled 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 · 161 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.