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2026 Best Value Food Science Technology Schools in North Carolina

[Food Science Technology](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/food-science-technology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for food science technology students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Food Science Technology Schools in North Carolina

2026 Best Value Food Science Technology Schools in North Carolina

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

Surry Community College
Dobson, NC

$2,668 In-State Tuition & Fees

$9,537 Avg Student Debt

$36,012 Median Earnings (10yr)

Surry Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value food science technology schools in North Carolina. Surry Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Dobson. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,668, compared with $8,812 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for food science technology graduates is $9,537. Early-career food science technology graduates make about $47,188. Set against $9,537 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.

2

North Carolina State University At Raleigh
Raleigh, NC

$8,799 In-State Tuition & Fees

$21,000 Avg Student Debt

$68,758 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in food science technology will find it at North Carolina State University At Raleigh, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,799, with out-of-state students paying around $32,847. Students borrow a median of $21,000 to complete the food science technology program here. Early-career food science technology graduates make about $50,631. Set against $21,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. North Carolina State University At Raleigh admits about 42% of applicants.

View All Food Science Technology Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced 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 · 4 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.