2026 Best Value Food & Nutrition Schools in Texas

[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 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for food & nutrition students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Food & Nutrition Schools in Texas
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 Texas Womans University, our #1 best value for food & nutrition in Texas. Located in the city of Denton, Texas Womans University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,640, with out-of-state students paying around $18,480. Students borrow a median of $14,104 to complete the food & nutrition program here. Soon after graduation, food & nutrition degree recipients from Texas Womans University generally make around $46,399. Set against $14,104 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 96%.
Lamar University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in food & nutrition, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Beaumont, Lamar University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,905, compared with $18,745 for out-of-state students. Food & Nutrition graduates carry a median of $21,482 in student loans. Early-career food & nutrition graduates make about $52,678. Set against $21,482 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in food & nutrition will find it at Sam Houston State University, which ranked #3. Sam Houston State University is a very large public school located in the town of Huntsville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,228, compared with $19,068 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for food & nutrition graduates is $24,850. Early-career food & nutrition graduates make about $46,365. Set against $24,850 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Texas State University San Marcos came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value food & nutrition schools. Set in the city of San Marcos, Texas State University San Marcos is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,450 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,930. Typical student debt for food & nutrition graduates is $23,354. Soon after graduation, food & nutrition degree recipients from Texas State University San Marcos generally make around $36,601. Set against $23,354 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 89%.
More Food & Nutrition Rankings
View All Food & Nutrition Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.