[Food, Nutrition & Related Services](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/food-nutrition-services/) 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 11 schools to find the best return on investment for food, nutrition & related services students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in food, nutrition & related services, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is Community College Of Denver, our #1 best value for food, nutrition & related services in the Rocky Mountains Region. Community College Of Denver is a large public school located in the city of Denver. In-state tuition and fees average $5,058, with out-of-state students paying around $17,658. Food, Nutrition & Related Services graduates carry a median of $18,830 in student loans. Early-career food, nutrition & related services graduates make about $45,202. That is a strong return on a $18,830 median debt.
A rank of #2 makes Weber State University one of the best values for food, nutrition & related services. Set in the city of Ogden, Weber State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,557, compared with $17,545 for out-of-state students. Food, Nutrition & Related Services graduates carry a median of $19,176 in student loans. Soon after graduation, food, nutrition & related services degree recipients from Weber State University generally make around $28,714. That is a strong return on a $19,176 median debt.
Southern Utah University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value food, nutrition & related services schools. Set in the town of Cedar City, Southern Utah University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,962 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $21,192. Food, Nutrition & Related Services graduates carry a median of $15,050 in student loans. Soon after graduation, food, nutrition & related services degree recipients from Southern Utah University generally make around $20,693. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Montana State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in food, nutrition & related services, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Bozeman, Montana State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,460, with out-of-state students paying around $33,287. Typical student debt for food, nutrition & related services graduates is $23,635. Food, Nutrition & Related Services graduates of Montana State University earn a median of $47,703 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,635 median debt. Montana State University admits about 82% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 11 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.
