2026 Best Value Food & Nutrition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
[Food & Nutrition](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/food-nutrition-services/food-nutrition-wellness/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 24 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for food & nutrition students.
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2026 Best Value Food & Nutrition Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the food & nutrition degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Food & Nutrition Schools
For return on investment in food & nutrition, no school beat Cuny Hunter College this year. Set in the city of New York, Cuny Hunter College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,382, with out-of-state students paying around $15,332. Food & Nutrition graduates carry a median of $11,091 in student loans. Soon after graduation, food & nutrition degree recipients from Cuny Hunter College generally make around $39,756. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Cuny Hunter College admits about 54% of applicants.
Morgan State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in food & nutrition, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Baltimore, Morgan State University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,229 in tuition and fees, compared with $19,124 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for food & nutrition graduates is $34,537. Food & Nutrition graduates of Morgan State University earn a median of $49,736 early in their careers. Set against $34,537 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Main Campus earned it the #3 place for food & nutrition. Located in the town of Indiana, Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Main Campus is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,380 in tuition and fees, compared with $16,297 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the food & nutrition program here. Early-career food & nutrition graduates make about $41,319. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 91%.
Cedar Crest College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value food & nutrition schools. Located in the city of Allentown, Cedar Crest College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $46,314. Students borrow a median of $30,759 to complete the food & nutrition program here. Food & Nutrition graduates of Cedar Crest College earn a median of $62,345 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Cedar Crest College admits about 84% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in food & nutrition will find it at New York University, which ranked #5. Located in the city of New York, New York University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $62,796 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for food & nutrition graduates is $21,897. Food & Nutrition graduates of New York University earn a median of $51,020 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. New York University admits about 9% of applicants.
Syracuse University came in at #6 for value in food & nutrition this year. Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Syracuse. Students from in state pay about $65,528 in tuition and fees. Food & Nutrition graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, food & nutrition degree recipients from Syracuse University generally make around $44,219. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Syracuse University admits about 46% of applicants.
American University placed #7 among the best values for food & nutrition. Located in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $58,771. Typical student debt for food & nutrition graduates is $24,139. Early-career food & nutrition graduates make about $48,321. That is a strong return on a $24,139 median debt. The acceptance rate is 62%.
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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 · 24 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.
