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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

$53,588
1,167
100–85%
$55,761
2,843
85–68%
$61,170
2,847
68–39%
$61,308
1,208
38–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted earnings

By SAT median

$49,354
920
400–1100
$56,376
2,101
1100–1250
$60,767
2,188
1250–1380
$59,317
909
1380–1600
Combined SAT composite median (submitters + non-submitters) · bar = degree-weighted earnings

Earnings vs. selectivity rank

$46,310p10 $64,049p90 Arts Work College Female-only Liberal Arts Public University Religious University Private University Public University 1–25 Private University 21–40 Private University 1–20 Bennington College · $41,033 The New School · $52,107 Johnson & Wales University - Providence · $39,934 College of the Ozarks · $43,975 Meredith College · $55,406 Cedar Crest College · $54,330 Mount Mary University · $49,042 Texas Woman's University · $51,483 St Catherine University · $57,582 Simmons University · $63,534 Oakwood University · $51,276 Ohio Wesleyan University · $47,113 Lees-McRae College · $45,970 College of Saint Benedict · $58,025 Viterbo University · $54,648 Keene State College · $49,333 Linfield University · $57,442 CUNY Hunter College · $66,304 Cal State Long Beach · $58,299 Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo · $76,795 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University · $47,590 Eastern New Mexico University · $45,229 San Diego State University · $54,013 Alabama A&M University · $45,590 Cal State Los Angeles · $53,998 Alcorn State University · $44,892 University of Washington · $62,351 Cal Poly - Pomona · $59,761 Clemson University · $52,394 Delaware State University · $50,229 Florida International University · $58,934 Morgan State University · $62,727 North Carolina A&T State University · $65,713 North Carolina Central University · $50,373 University of California, Davis · $68,175 San Jose State University · $71,358 CUNY Brooklyn College · $64,202 CUNY Queens College · $55,406 Northern Illinois University · $52,265 West Chester University of Pennsylvania · $57,798 University of Connecticut · $55,148 Pennsylvania State University · $65,773 New Mexico State University · $54,368 Tarleton State University · $51,606 CUNY Lehman College · $59,461 Georgia State University · $52,211 University of Pittsburgh · $60,011 Illinois State University · $53,512 Mississippi State University · $46,921 University of Massachusetts - Amherst · $64,751 University of New Mexico · $45,741 Minnesota State University, Mankato · $58,543 Arkansas State University · $49,835 Texas Southern University · $47,026 Wayne State University · $54,859 Winthrop University · $46,679 Appalachian State University · $50,546 Fresno State · $64,821 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities · $62,434 Louisiana Tech University · $64,049 University of Houston · $55,177 Ball State University · $54,782 Central Michigan University · $56,137 Eastern Michigan University · $60,588 Oklahoma State University · $64,927 Texas Tech University · $59,540 University of Alaska - Anchorage · $56,645 SUNY Oneonta · $53,943 Texas State University · $52,933 University at Buffalo · $68,645 Louisiana State University · $53,562 Cal State Sacramento · $62,278 East Carolina University · $57,007 Eastern Illinois University · $60,679 Georgia Southern University · $52,866 Marshall University · $54,723 Mississippi University for Women · $36,618 Missouri State University - Springfield · $52,582 Montclair State University · $57,280 Murray State University · $50,904 Nicholls State University · $40,166 Northeastern State University · $53,394 Northwest Missouri State University · $50,808 Oakland University · $55,612 Ohio University · $55,494 Radford University · $54,314 Southern Illinois University - Carbondale · $59,789 Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville · $51,123 Texas A&M University - Kingsville · $40,845 University of Alabama at Birmingham · $53,057 University of Central Arkansas · $48,959 University of Delaware · $59,745 University of North Carolina at Greensboro · $42,095 University of Northern Colorado · $46,466 University of Southern Indiana · $50,317 University of Texas Rio Grande Valley · $50,316 Western Illinois University · $53,306 Farmingdale State College · $58,653 University of Vermont · $59,376 Miami University - Ohio · $59,559 Oregon State University · $60,213 University of Alabama · $55,862 University of Arkansas · $60,658 University of Idaho · $49,885 University of Mississippi · $32,299 Washington State University · $69,838 University of Rhode Island · $55,594 Prairie View A&M University · $46,602 University of Missouri · $58,298 University of North Florida · $55,220 Angelo State University · $51,667 Chico State · $57,963 East Tennessee State University · $51,274 Eastern Kentucky University · $58,641 Middle Tennessee State University · $44,442 Northern Arizona University · $57,680 University of New Hampshire · $61,382 Youngstown State University · $49,195 Southeast Missouri State University · $51,902 University of Illinois Chicago · $48,405 Western Carolina University · $43,962 Grand Valley State University · $53,808 Metropolitan State University of Denver · $53,328 University of Nebraska, Lincoln · $63,118 Bowling Green State University · $52,814 Colorado State University - Fort Collins · $58,532 Indiana University of Pennsylvania · $46,020 Kent State University at Kent · $50,119 Shepherd University · $47,036 University of Nevada, Las Vegas · $51,838 University of North Dakota · $51,964 Michigan State University · $61,871 Stephen F. Austin State University · $51,548 Western Michigan University · $51,532 Framingham State University · $61,726 Rowan University · $58,320 Cal State San Bernardino · $56,191 Central Washington University · $53,310 Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania · $47,256 Fort Lewis College · $46,310 Indiana State University · $49,971 Iowa State University · $56,268 Lamar University · $39,910 SUNY Buffalo State University · $52,622 South Dakota State University · $52,343 Southern Utah University · $44,753 University of Akron · $51,630 University of Arizona · $56,185 University of Cincinnati · $58,509 University of Maine · $56,159 University of Massachusetts - Lowell · $68,212 University of Nevada, Reno · $58,440 James Madison University · $59,500 University of Wisconsin - River Falls · $52,965 Arizona State University · $56,240 Cal State Northridge · $62,375 South Carolina State University · $40,076 University of Hawaii at Manoa · $51,891 University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee · $51,946 University of Kentucky · $55,464 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point · $52,012 Southwest Minnesota State University · $49,794 University of Texas at San Antonio · $71,347 University of Wisconsin - Stout · $57,499 North Dakota State University · $58,182 University of Southern Mississippi · $49,938 San Francisco State University · $60,657 Utah State University · $55,589 Idaho State University · $42,661 Kansas State University · $60,142 University of Wyoming · $50,581 Sam Houston State University · $50,138 Montana State University · $49,543 Weber State University · $41,635 Brigham Young University · $49,952 Saint Louis University · $58,058 Texas Christian University · $59,327 Azusa Pacific University · $54,266 Baylor University · $63,540 Madonna University · $51,535 Andrews University · $57,124 University of Dayton · $57,361 Olivet Nazarene University · $54,918 Harding University · $54,466 Messiah University · $54,069 Ashland University · $50,409 California Baptist University · $58,727 Pepperdine University · $57,290 Abilene Christian University · $54,089 Concordia College at Moorhead · $54,047 Regis College · $61,481 Ouachita Baptist University · $53,626 Saint Elizabeth University · $63,085 Seton Hill University · $50,716 University of Holy Cross · $55,922 University of Saint Joseph · $53,324 Carson-Newman University · $51,250 Benedictine University · $55,710 Immaculata University · $61,562 Lakeland University · $55,525 Dominican University · $56,171 La Salle University · $54,650 Marywood University · $55,346 Gannon University · $59,480 Point Loma Nazarene University · $58,731 Samford University · $54,881 Saint John's University (NY) · $59,322 Seattle Pacific University · $57,010 University of the Incarnate Word · $50,812 Brigham Young University - Idaho · $52,327 University of Saint Francis - Fort Wayne · $55,013 Rochester Institute of Technology · $61,107 Howard University · $53,991 Tuskegee University · $47,105 Syracuse University · $62,634 Merrimack College · $60,405 Illinois Institute of Technology · $60,653 Bradley University · $55,980 Delaware Valley University · $68,818 Long Island University · $58,950 University of New England · $56,286 University of New Haven · $57,206 Russell Sage College · $61,513 Lipscomb University · $57,723 Bluffton University · $46,430 Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science · $42,296 Drexel University · $53,397 Utica University · $52,390 Culinary Institute of America · $60,705 Nova Southeastern University · $61,207 National-Louis University · $42,444 University of California, Berkeley · $77,253 University of Florida · $42,270 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · $34,268 University of Georgia · $76,847 Purdue University · $61,428 University of Maryland, College Park · $69,427 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · $60,761 University of Texas at Austin · $62,865 Rutgers University - New Brunswick · $66,531 University of Wisconsin - Madison · $67,186 Texas A&M University - College Station · $61,241 Florida State University · $58,255 Auburn University · $58,338 University of Tennessee, Knoxville · $58,858 Virginia Tech · $68,649 Ohio State University · $62,665 North Carolina State University · $63,221 Case Western Reserve University · $61,788 New York University · $69,098 Boston University · $68,485 George Washington University · $67,432 Cornell University · $76,702 Arts: mean $44,358 Work College: mean $43,975 Female-only: mean $55,230 Liberal Arts: mean $51,972 Public University: mean $54,527 Religious University: mean $55,814 Private University: mean $56,062 Public University 1–25: mean $61,768 Private University 21–40: mean $66,701 Private University 1–20: mean $76,702 All colleges: p10 $46,310 All colleges: p90 $64,049
Each dot = a college · y = degree-weighted earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees ▼ Male/Female Intl Earnings Employment
Food Science & Nutrition 256 8,065 20% / 80% 5% $57,272 95%
Nutrition Sciences 70 1,210 17% / 83% 4% $56,599 96%
Nutritional Sciences 16 866 19% / 81% 6% $59,368 95%
Food Science 45 818 33% / 67% 15% $64,548 94%
Dietetics 67 786 14% / 86% 3% $54,283 95%
Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies 28 699 22% / 78% 2% $54,231 92%
Dietetics/Dietitian 26 628 13% / 87% 2% $54,004 94%
Nutrition 14 617 13% / 87% 3% $57,733 95%
Human Nutrition 19 365 19% / 81% 4% $52,652 92%
Nutrition Science 4 236 14% / 86% 7% $58,858 96%
Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise 1 224 24% / 76% 2% $68,867 96%
Nutrition and Dietetics 13 198 16% / 84% 3% $51,730 97%
Food and Nutrition 3 132 6% / 94% 2% $49,985 95%
Culinary Arts 6 121 55% / 45% 5% $44,653 97%
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services 4 115 12% / 88% 4% $57,570 91%
Nutritional Science 2 113 21% / 79% 12% $65,996 92%
Nutrition and Food Sciences 3 108 19% / 81% 6% $54,309 93%
Viticulture and Enology 5 105 51% / 49% 0% $71,594 94%
Dietetics and Nutrition 3 82 9% / 91% 11% $60,036 89%
Food Science and Technology 8 79 43% / 57% 6% $62,574 93%
Baking and Pastry Arts 3 68 9% / 91% 6% $47,361 97%
Culinary Science/Culinology 3 61 51% / 49% 15% $53,706 100%
Nutrition, Food Science, and Packaging 1 54 26% / 74% 4% $71,358
Culinary Arts/Chef Training 2 43 40% / 60% 12% $40,430 93%
Clinical Nutrition/Nutritionist 2 34 21% / 79% 0% $56,232 93%
Culinary Science 3 33 39% / 61% 6% $46,885 95%
Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion 1 30 13% / 87% 0% $46,183 96%
Agricultural and Food Products Processing 2 25 52% / 48% 0% $75,029 97%
Fermentation Science 1 23 26% / 74% 9% $73,559 100%
Nutrition and Wellness 4 22 14% / 86% 0% $51,680 96%
Nutrition and Food Science 3 20 10% / 90% 5% $56,241 100%
Dietetic Technician 1 16 12% / 88% 0% $53,808
Applied Culinary Arts 1 15 53% / 47% 7% $60,705 100%
Dietetics, Nutrition and Food Sciences 1 15 0% / 100% 0% $55,828 100%
Food Technology and Processing 5 12 50% / 50% 8% $57,977 100%
Foods and Nutrition 1 12 17% / 83% 0% $52,150 90%
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services 2 11 55% / 45% 0% $57,309
Biobehavioral Nutrition and Wellness 1 11 9% / 91% 0% $53,057
Clinical Nutrition 1 11 9% / 91% 0% $58,950 92%
Brewing Science 1 10 90% / 10% 0% $59,176
Culinary Arts and Related Services 1 9 89% / 11% 0% $51,468
Zymology/Fermentation Science 1 7 57% / 43% 0% $51,360
Nutrition and Foods 1 6 17% / 83% 0% $40,076
Agricultural Food Science 1 5 40% / 60% 0% $51,667
Culinology 1 4 50% / 50% 0% $52,460
Food Studies 2 3 0% / 100% 0% $46,570
Food Safety 1 1 100% / 0% 0% $61,421
Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics 1 1 0% / 100% 0% $50,277 100%
Nutrition Management 1 1 100% / 0% 0% $56,171 100%