[Food, Nutrition & Related Services](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/food-nutrition-services/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for food, nutrition & related services students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in food, nutrition & related services, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is Middle Tennessee State University, our #1 best value for food, nutrition & related services in Tennessee. Set in the city of Murfreesboro, Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,266, with out-of-state students paying around $31,574. Food, Nutrition & Related Services graduates carry a median of $25,853 in student loans. Food, Nutrition & Related Services graduates of Middle Tennessee State University earn a median of $30,835 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,853 median debt. Roughly 69% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Lipscomb University one of the best values for food, nutrition & related services. Located in the city of Nashville, Lipscomb University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $40,572 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for food, nutrition & related services graduates is $23,529. Food, Nutrition & Related Services graduates of Lipscomb University earn a median of $48,949 early in their careers. Set against $23,529 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Lipscomb University admits about 68% of applicants.
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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 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.
