2026 Best Value Food & Nutrition Schools in North Carolina
[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.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for food & nutrition students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Food & Nutrition Schools in North Carolina
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
Leading the list is North Carolina A And T State University, our #1 best value for food & nutrition in North Carolina. North Carolina A And T State University is a large public school located in the city of Greensboro. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,813, with out-of-state students paying around $20,673. Typical student debt for food & nutrition graduates is $31,000. Food & Nutrition graduates of North Carolina A And T State University earn a median of $50,715 early in their careers. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 50%.
A rank of #2 makes University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill one of the best values for food & nutrition. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public school located in the city of Chapel Hill. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,994, while out-of-state students pay about $41,203. Typical student debt for food & nutrition graduates is $15,117. Soon after graduation, food & nutrition degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill generally make around $23,633. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 15%.
East Carolina University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value food & nutrition schools. Located in the city of Greenville, East Carolina University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,361, with out-of-state students paying around $23,638. Students borrow a median of $24,747 to complete the food & nutrition program here. Food & Nutrition graduates of East Carolina University earn a median of $51,931 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,747 median debt. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Meredith College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value food & nutrition schools. Set in the city of Raleigh, Meredith College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $45,630 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for food & nutrition graduates is $26,618. Food & Nutrition graduates of Meredith College earn a median of $22,422 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,618 median debt. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
Johnson And Wales University Charlotte is a great value for students pursuing a degree in food & nutrition, landing the #5 spot this year. Johnson And Wales University Charlotte is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Charlotte. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,982. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the food & nutrition program here. Early-career food & nutrition graduates make about $32,586. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
