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Food Science & Nutrition

Colleges offering this major Rankings Trends

What you'll do in college

Food science blends chemistry, microbiology, and engineering to understand what food is and how to make it safe, tasty, and shelf-stable. Nutrition tracks focus more on how the body uses food—biochemistry, metabolism, and clinical dietetics. Expect lab-heavy coursework: organic chemistry, food microbiology, sensory evaluation, and product development.

Many programs offer registered dietitian (RD) tracks with clinical rotations, and food science programs frequently partner with major food companies on capstone projects—developing a new cereal, beverage, or plant-based product. Internships at companies like General Mills, Kraft Heinz, or hospitals are typical.

What you'll do after college

Food science graduates work in R&D, quality assurance, and regulatory roles at food and beverage companies, flavor houses, and ingredient suppliers. Nutrition graduates become registered dietitians in hospitals, clinics, sports programs, and public health agencies, or pursue careers in food policy and wellness.

The field is recession-resistant—people always eat—and the rise of plant-based and functional foods has expanded opportunities. Pay is moderate in entry roles but climbs with experience, especially in product development and regulatory affairs.

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$61,617
1,147
100–90%
$61,770
2,698
90–73%
$64,890
2,632
72–41%
$69,300
1,171
40–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted earnings

By SAT median

$56,569
943
400–1090
$64,397
2,118
1090–1240
$68,438
2,205
1240–1380
$66,205
900
1380–1600
Combined SAT composite median (submitters + non-submitters) · bar = degree-weighted earnings

Earnings by acceptance rate and institution category

$52,625p10 $69,926p90 Art & Music STEM, Business & Military Liberal Arts Public University Religious University Private University 20–30% 10–20% 0–10% The New School · $56,117 Johnson & Wales University - Providence · $48,600 Rochester Institute of Technology · $65,716 Cal Poly - Pomona · $56,991 Oakwood University · $58,997 Cedar Crest College · $54,395 College of Saint Benedict · $60,453 Mount Mary University · $57,732 Ohio Wesleyan University · $56,458 North Central College · $61,407 Texas Woman's University · $53,408 Lipscomb University · $61,992 Meredith College · $58,472 Bay Path University · $56,158 St Catherine University · $60,902 Simmons University · $58,403 Linfield University · $61,986 Keene State College · $62,297 Viterbo University · $63,401 Eastern New Mexico University · $54,418 University of Georgia · $99,300 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · $73,525 San Diego State University · $48,036 Alabama A&M University · $57,370 Alcorn State University · $50,362 North Carolina State University · $73,152 University of Wisconsin - Madison · $70,616 University of Tennessee, Knoxville · $64,542 University of Washington · $65,704 Clemson University · $66,908 Purdue University · $72,589 University of Maryland, College Park · $71,577 Cal State Long Beach · $54,108 University of California, Davis · $69,926 Auburn University · $59,255 Delaware State University · $61,284 Ohio State University · $72,784 North Carolina A&T State University · $68,921 Texas A&M University - College Station · $74,343 CUNY Brooklyn College · $59,521 CUNY Queens College · $46,207 Northern Illinois University · $57,695 West Chester University of Pennsylvania · $64,266 Tarleton State University · $58,489 University of Connecticut · $60,956 Pennsylvania State University · $73,164 New Mexico State University · $55,573 Georgia State University · $61,216 CUNY Lehman College · $54,616 University of Pittsburgh · $65,551 University of Massachusetts - Amherst · $68,286 University of New Mexico · $58,470 Florida International University · $50,564 Minnesota State University, Mankato · $63,013 Texas Southern University · $60,241 Virginia Tech · $77,000 Winthrop University · $60,514 Fresno State · $65,796 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities · $64,973 Western Carolina University · $55,913 Ball State University · $59,228 Eastern Michigan University · $55,331 North Carolina Central University · $54,604 Rutgers University - New Brunswick · $74,264 University of North Florida · $64,263 James Madison University · $62,107 Texas Tech University · $68,110 Georgia Southern University · $53,855 SUNY Oneonta · $60,332 Eastern Illinois University · $62,940 Louisiana State University · $61,215 University of Alabama · $60,730 University of Delaware · $67,265 Louisiana Tech University · $71,527 Mississippi University for Women · $43,448 Western Illinois University · $55,454 Farmingdale State College · $57,508 University of Vermont · $64,004 Oklahoma State University · $72,003 University of Arkansas · $68,585 Miami University - Ohio · $64,733 University of Rhode Island · $61,614 University of Idaho · $62,155 University of Houston · $64,254 University of Illinois Chicago · $57,566 Rowan University · $75,679 Prairie View A&M University · $54,957 University of Missouri · $69,323 East Tennessee State University · $56,328 Eastern Kentucky University · $53,911 Middle Tennessee State University · $56,921 University of New Hampshire · $64,324 Youngstown State University · $55,709 Arkansas State University · $61,618 Oregon State University · $61,207 Southeast Missouri State University · $58,570 Angelo State University · $57,307 Metropolitan State University of Denver · $58,155 University of Nebraska, Lincoln · $66,965 San Jose State University · $73,458 University at Buffalo · $67,923 Bowling Green State University · $58,360 Indiana University of Pennsylvania · $60,270 Kent State University at Kent · $60,042 Morgan State University · $67,655 Shepherd University · $54,652 University of North Dakota · $70,818 Western Michigan University · $57,147 University of Nevada, Reno · $65,343 Michigan State University · $68,390 Stephen F. Austin State University · $62,476 Lamar University · $42,101 University of Arizona · $62,056 Mississippi State University · $53,652 Wayne State University · $66,577 Framingham State University · $57,964 University of Nevada, Las Vegas · $61,765 SUNY Buffalo State University · $63,023 Murray State University · $56,722 Cal State San Bernardino · $43,056 Central Washington University · $59,748 South Dakota State University · $68,906 Southern Utah University · $59,070 University of Akron · $63,066 University of Maine · $61,026 University of Massachusetts - Lowell · $63,523 Ohio University · $57,365 Northwest Missouri State University · $58,915 Illinois State University · $64,705 University of Wisconsin - River Falls · $59,361 Washington State University · $72,226 University of Texas Rio Grande Valley · $58,646 Iowa State University · $64,588 Cal State Northridge · $56,458 South Carolina State University · $45,284 University of Cincinnati · $61,239 University of Hawaii at Manoa · $58,331 Arizona State University · $61,096 University of Alaska - Anchorage · $57,813 Colorado State University - Fort Collins · $63,374 University of Northern Colorado · $51,674 University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee · $52,319 Montclair State University · $69,818 Radford University · $55,135 Oakland University · $59,290 Northern Arizona University · $61,023 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point · $57,251 Cal State Los Angeles · $49,327 Texas A&M University - Kingsville · $47,487 Central Michigan University · $60,215 Southwest Minnesota State University · $54,550 University of Texas at San Antonio · $73,986 University of Wisconsin - Stout · $60,684 Chico State · $52,625 Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania · $62,539 Texas State University · $58,622 Indiana State University · $52,345 University of Central Arkansas · $57,991 University of North Carolina at Greensboro · $62,124 North Dakota State University · $71,111 Utah State University · $53,206 East Carolina University · $62,258 University of Southern Mississippi · $68,885 Missouri State University - Springfield · $60,945 Grand Valley State University · $59,188 San Francisco State University · $67,082 University of Kentucky · $66,059 Cal State Sacramento · $65,048 Sam Houston State University · $52,868 Appalachian State University · $60,306 University of Alabama at Birmingham · $61,680 Southern Illinois University - Carbondale · $59,221 Nicholls State University · $53,058 Kansas State University · $74,608 University of Wyoming · $59,305 University of Southern Indiana · $46,566 Marshall University · $59,099 Idaho State University · $60,876 University of Mississippi · $71,616 Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville · $52,347 Northeastern State University · $67,796 Montana State University · $57,924 University of the District of Columbia · $63,006 Weber State University · $42,138 Texas Christian University · $65,200 Azusa Pacific University · $52,750 Madonna University · $59,224 Baylor University · $59,729 Andrews University · $62,613 University of Dayton · $73,192 Olivet Nazarene University · $57,906 Harding University · $66,449 Merrimack College · $59,679 La Sierra University · $55,106 Bluffton University · $53,127 Brigham Young University · $41,377 Ashland University · $50,980 California Baptist University · $54,740 Pepperdine University · $63,341 Abilene Christian University · $62,000 St. Thomas University (FL) · $52,803 Concordia College at Moorhead · $60,540 Regis College · $60,019 Ouachita Baptist University · $61,500 Seton Hill University · $56,043 Saint Louis University · $62,687 Carson-Newman University · $53,263 Samford University · $60,563 Benedictine University · $52,666 Immaculata University · $61,138 Lakeland University · $55,750 La Salle University · $52,557 Marywood University · $60,052 University of Saint Joseph · $57,196 Gannon University · $54,595 Point Loma Nazarene University · $56,489 Dominican University · $58,789 Seattle Pacific University · $51,796 University of the Incarnate Word · $52,828 Brigham Young University - Idaho · $62,124 University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne · $60,139 Case Western Reserve University · $64,720 Howard University · $89,171 George Washington University · $69,919 Tuskegee University · $55,077 Syracuse University · $62,248 Russell Sage College · $59,490 Illinois Institute of Technology · $64,095 University of New Haven · $59,400 Bradley University · $58,257 Drexel University · $60,110 Long Island University · $53,446 Utica University · $54,970 University of New England · $57,899 Culinary Institute of America · $57,004 Nova Southeastern University · $56,843 Delaware Valley University · $63,408 National-Louis University · $42,178 University of Florida · $65,320 Florida State University · $64,680 University of Texas at Austin · $67,174 CUNY Hunter College · $67,121 Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo · $69,274 Boston University · $64,489 University of California, Berkeley · $76,242 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · $34,776 Florida A&M University · $50,008 New York University · $55,789 Cornell University · $79,601 College of the Ozarks · $51,544 Art & Music: mean $52,359 STEM, Business & Military: mean $61,354 Liberal Arts: mean $59,097 Public University: mean $61,286 Religious University: mean $57,864 Private University: mean $60,484 20–30%: mean $66,714 10–20%: mean $56,379 0–10%: mean $62,311 All colleges: p10 $52,625 All colleges: p90 $69,926
Each dot = a college · y = degree-weighted earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees ▼ Male/Female Intl Earnings Employment
Food Science & Nutrition 260 7,648 22% / 78% 5% $62,570 95%
Nutrition Sciences 73 1,183 19% / 81% 3% $60,642 95%
Nutritional Sciences 15 840 19% / 81% 5% $68,212 97%
Food Science 47 746 34% / 66% 16% $69,628 94%
Dietetics 68 733 16% / 84% 3% $59,831 95%
Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies 29 684 21% / 79% 1% $59,337 94%
Nutrition 14 604 16% / 84% 2% $60,596 95%
Dietetics/Dietitian 26 591 13% / 87% 2% $60,995 95%
Human Nutrition 19 354 15% / 85% 4% $59,252 94%
Nutrition and Dietetics 14 235 19% / 81% 11% $59,402 94%
Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise 1 203 29% / 71% 0% $75,887 98%
Nutrition Science 4 202 20% / 80% 10% $63,559 96%
Culinary Arts 5 116 50% / 50% 5% $50,778 97%
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services 4 112 21% / 79% 1% $60,524 95%
Nutrition and Food Sciences 3 111 15% / 85% 2% $53,314 95%
Nutritional Science 2 98 31% / 69% 0% $72,944 94%
Food and Nutrition 2 94 20% / 80% 4% $54,990 95%
Food Science and Technology 8 85 51% / 49% 5% $67,989 95%
Dietetics and Nutrition 3 81 19% / 81% 10% $63,615 94%
Viticulture and Enology 5 79 41% / 59% 3% $71,472 92%
Culinary Science/Culinology 3 61 54% / 46% 15% $53,413 100%
Baking and Pastry Arts 2 56 11% / 89% 9% $52,392 98%
Culinary Arts/Chef Training 2 45 44% / 56% 4% $46,592 94%
Fermentation Science 1 39 23% / 77% 13% $81,257 91%
Nutrition, Food Science, and Packaging 1 38 29% / 71% 5% $73,458 94%
Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion 1 29 14% / 86% 3% $53,084 96%
Culinary Science 3 26 54% / 46% 12% $51,856 95%
Clinical Nutrition/Nutritionist 2 25 8% / 92% 4% $64,770 98%
Agricultural and Food Products Processing 2 23 39% / 61% 0% $82,366 98%
Dietetic Technician 1 23 13% / 87% 0% $59,188
Nutrition and Wellness 4 19 11% / 89% 0% $55,943 93%
Nutrition and Food Science 3 19 11% / 89% 5% $55,118 100%
Food Technology and Processing 5 15 40% / 60% 0% $60,425 100%
Biobehavioral Nutrition and Wellness 1 13 15% / 85% 0% $61,680
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services 2 11 18% / 82% 0% $58,481 96%
Applied Culinary Arts 1 10 70% / 30% 0% $57,004 100%
Brewing Science 1 8 88% / 12% 0% $72,719
Zymology/Fermentation Science 2 7 57% / 43% 0% $55,303
Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics 1 5 40% / 60% 0% $69,334 100%
Foods and Nutrition 1 5 20% / 80% 0% $57,314 92%
Cooking and Related Culinary Arts, General 2 4 50% / 50% 50% $53,610
Agricultural Food Science 1 3 33% / 67% 0% $57,307
Clinical Nutrition 1 3 33% / 67% 33% $53,446 89%
Culinology 1 3 67% / 33% 0% $59,143
Food Safety 1 3 0% / 100% 0% $72,524
Food Studies 2 2 0% / 100% 0% $52,574
Dietetics, Nutrition and Food Sciences 1 1 0% / 100% 0% $62,146 100%
Nutrition and Foods 1 1 0% / 100% 0% $45,284
Culinary Arts and Related Services 1 0 $57,408
Nutrition Management 1 0 $63,069 100%