### SUMMARY

 Studying Food Science is a valuable choice and naturally a required first step for pupils coveting to enter a career as a food scientist, a food technologist, or a clinical dietitian. Interestingly, nationally, food science is an uncommon degree coming in at the 187th most popular area of study. Last year alone, there were 1,278 food science diplomas received. In-state tuition for food science at private schools is, on average, 2.4 times more expensive than their public peers.

 With just 53 schools having programs for food science there might be a more finite list of the institutions you can choose from. If you are looking to surround yourself with other food science majors, consider institutions in California which have more students admitted to food science than any other state. Zooming out, the top region to major in food science is in the Far West region with [California State University-Fresno](/colleges/california-state-university-fresno), [University of California-Davis](/colleges/university-of-california-davis), and [Oregon State University](/colleges/oregon-state-university) best representing the region. Interestingly, our selection for the best conference to major in food science is the Big Ten Conference with [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign](/colleges/university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign), [University of Maryland-College Park](/colleges/university-of-maryland-college-park), and [University of Nebraska-Lincoln](/colleges/university-of-nebraska-lincoln) representing the conference. That being said, our belief is that the best college for food science is [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university). You might also want to check out our list of [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges).

 The overall 'best' school does not mean it is the best school for every student. There might be many more angels to consider when selecting institution. External stuff such as campus amenities, transportation services, and food could definitely change your inclinations of which school to attend. Here at authority.org, we've weighed the pros and cons for you. If, as an example, you want to know which food science university is home to the top campus, the answer is [Rutgers University-New Brunswick](/colleges/rutgers-university-new-brunswick). If, for example, you are very interested in which school has the finest campus, we have a whole page [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through student reviews, government databases, professor reviews, and more in order to compare all U.S. majors in an unbiased and informative way. Here you can explore our comprehensive list for the colleges with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbspand our selection of the school with the best student life for food science is [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university). Curious why? Continue scrolling to learn more about Authority's top choices. Some of our conclusions might shock you.

 If expense is a significant deciding factor in your decision on where to go to school, you might be cautious about [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university). [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university)&nbspis the most expensive college for food science, at least for out of state enrollment. That being said, we have a page for the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspcolleges that could put the cost at [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university)&nbspinto perspective. For more context, you could want to know that food science is the 254th most expensive degree in America, with an average cost of $26,800. On a broader scale, the most costly state for food science on our list is New York with costs at the primary institution, Cornell University, of $56,550. Even more broadly, the most costly region for food science is the Mid East region which is best demonstrated with [University of Maryland-College Park](/colleges/university-of-maryland-college-park) with a cost of $34,936, [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university) with a cost of $56,550, and [Delaware Valley University](/colleges/delaware-valley-university) with a cost of $38,070.

 Our cheapest region for food science is the Rocky Mountains region which is represented by [University of Idaho](/colleges/university-of-idaho) with a cost of $25,418, [Brigham Young University-Idaho](/colleges/brigham-young-university-idaho) with a cost of $4,208, and [Brigham Young University-Provo](/colleges/brigham-young-university-provo) with a cost of $5,790. On the bright side, the most affordable college for food science is [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](/colleges/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo). Authority.org's comprehensive list of the most affordable colleges can be explored [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state students can expect to pay about $11,200 for a degree in food science. That price increases by a lot to an average of $28,300 for the out-of-state public-school student. Our pick for the school with the best value for food science: [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university). Through this link you will see our comprehensive list about the colleges we believe to be the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspoverall. Do know, this list is predicated on being an out-of-state student. The value proposition changes when in-state tuition costs are considered, as such, we are using out-of-state tuition as the baseline.

 Earnings for food science majors can cover a wide range, but two-years after leaving college graduates will typically earn around $53,900. There can be a lot of variation in pay; top positions can enjoy pay up to $98,600. Even straight out of university, the minimum earning positions within the food science space make $28,900, which could be worse. The highest earning graduates for food science studied at [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university)&nbspand if you are looking for schools with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), we have that too.

 The all-around diversity of food science ranks on the higher end, ranking within the 72nd percentile of all majors. The college with the highest composite diversity for food science is [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university)&nbspand here you can find our comprehensive list of the colleges with the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The overall financial diversity of the Food Science major only is within the 52nd percentile compared to all other majors. Racial diversity is greater than financial diversity, in the 73rd percentile. White undergraduates make up the largest proportion at 51% of scholars majoring in food science. Additionally, 70% of students seeking a food science degree are women.

 The median rating for food science professors is 4 stars, a ranking that is surprisingly the median score across all majors; which is a fine. If you want to find the most popular food science professor nationally, look no further than Terri Verone at [Long Beach City College](/colleges/long-beach-city-college). It might be shocking, but the best ranked food science instructors by student come from [SUNY Oneonta](/colleges/suny-oneonta). If we consider data other than basic rankings it becomes clear that the college with the best professors for food science is [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university). One can find an explanation of our evolving ranking methodology for the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), as well as some of the finest professors nationwide.

 Finally, the hardest college to get into for food science is [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university). While we are unsure why you would be interested, we do have a detailed page for the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). But, we hope you believe that considering the higher education world from context mainly formed from superlatives might create issues. We at Authority encourage you to read our more focused pages on different universities and peruse a couple of our background articles on beneficial things to consider as your university search continues.



 ### POPULARITY

 Food science is the 187th most popular degree in America, with 1,278 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #188 [Game and Interactive Media Design](/rankings/best-colleges-for-game-and-interactive-media-design), and narrowly lost to #186 [Family and Consumer Economics](/rankings/best-colleges-for-family-and-consumer-economics).

 The degree is offered at a total of 53 colleges across the nation, and is the 268th most widely offered degree. It is only offered at 4% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America.

 It is also worth noting that 80% of colleges offering food science are public making it a quite accessible field.

 The far west produces the most food science graduates, largely led by [California State University-Fresno](/colleges/california-state-university-fresno), while it’s the Big Ten Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, California ranks highest, with particular help from [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](/colleges/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo) and [California State University-Fresno](/colleges/california-state-university-fresno).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more food science graduates than [Chapman University](/colleges/chapman-university), which graduated 89 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study food science). More students studied food science as a percentage of total students at [Delaware Valley University](/colleges/delaware-valley-university) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Food science is the 254th most expensive degree in America, with a median cost of $26,823 for the top 50 programs.

 The Mid East has the most expensive schools with great food science programs led by [University of Maryland-College Park](/colleges/university-of-maryland-college-park) with an annual cost of $34,936. New York is the most expensive state for food science led by [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university).

 Public schools with good programs typically charge 58.61% less than private schools for in-state students. However, when looking at out-of-state tuition, the median top 50 Public school charges 4.8% more than your average private school. So make sure to check out public shools in your state ASAP.

 The most pricey option in the top 25 is [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university), which is the 23rd most expensive college in the US. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [Brigham Young University-Idaho](/colleges/brigham-young-university-idaho). It costs just $4,208 per year, and it is ranked 42nd for its food science program. If you’re looking for a higher ranked, but still affordable school, [California State University-Fresno](/colleges/california-state-university-fresno)  could be a good fit for you, ranked #11 with an in-state cost of just $5,742. Another more affordable option would be #9, [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](/colleges/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo) in San Luis Obispo County, CA with a cost of $5,742 for in-state students and $17,622 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 Paying for college is an important investment for most people. It is critical to make sure you get a good return on your investment. We wish for the following income and career data to guide you in making a well informed decision when electing your focus.

 The average Food Science major earns a first year salary of $47,559 a year (top 27%). With experience in their professions, they typically take home somewhere between $28,859 and $98,583, but average more or less $53,851. To put it in context, that is 39% over America's average.

 The most popular work title for a Food Science graduate is Analyst, which usually make close to $54,000; next are Research And Development Internship and Medical Assistant, which for the most part make around $24,000 and $25,000 respectively.

 The best paid region for Food Science graduates is The Great Lakes. KS has the best paid Food Science alumni of any state. The most well paid conference for Food Science graduates is Big Twelve Conference.



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Food Science: Median Professor Rating: 4 / 5, which is below average.

 Instructors continually have a large influence your college experience, regardless of your major. A good teacher can provide inspiration and set a student up for future success. On the other hand, a poor professor can bring unwelcome anxiety or even worse... flunk you!

 Professors of Food Science have a median student rating of 4 out of 5, which puts them in the upper 70th percentile in America grounded in overall professor effectivness. Suprisingly, this major is exactly the median for professor rating, which, in our opinion, is remarkably average! Food Science professors slightly edged-out those from ["Secondary Education and Teaching"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-secondary-education-and-teaching), whereas ["Soil Sciences"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-soil-sciences)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Food Science.

 Now for some statistics about Food Science professors. Colleges located in fringe rural areas tend to have the best Food Science professors. The State University of New York Athletic Conference has the highest rated Food Science professors. The Southwest region has the highest rated Food Science professors. Public institutions tend to have higher rated Food Science professors than private institutions. Finally, California has the highest rated Food Science professors in the United States.

 Terri Verone, instructor at [Long Beach City College](/colleges/long-beach-city-college)&nbspin Long Beach, CA is the most popular Food Science professor in the United States. Carolyn Kraft, professor at [Paradise Valley Community College](/colleges/paradise-valley-community-college)&nbspin Phoenix, AZ is the highest rated Food Science professor in America, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 Want to know which universities have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College often is an especially significant period of one's life; it's a chance for individual growth and development. Students begin to figure out what they hope to become and cultivate many of the imperative skills to become a successful member of society. But growth also happens outside a classroom environment - the late nights discussing Descarte with a classmate, the life lesson gained from a tenured professor, the exposure to a different frame of reference. As such, a diverse univeristy experience greatly improves what you gain from your time spent at school.

 Food Science is a more racially diverse focus than average\*. 51% of the United States' Food Science majors are white students, followed by students of other races\*\*(28%), asian students (9%), and latino students (8%). The most ethnically diverse college\* in the top 100 is [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](/colleges/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona) located in Pomona, CA.

 Second, Food Science significatly skews female, with 70% of students majoring in Food Science identifying as women. [Washington State University](/colleges/washington-state-university) in Pullman, WA has the most gender balanced student body in the top 100.

 Another critical type of diversity is financial diversity. Food Science ranks fairly close to average for financial diversity (48th percentile). 31% of its majors come from households taking in north of $110,000 per year, 16% are from families with $48,000 to $75,000 annual incomes, and 22% grew up in low income families. [University of Maine](/colleges/university-of-maine) has the most economically diverse student body in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall FL is the most diverse state for Food Science. The Far West is the most diverse region, and the Big West Conference is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 9%
* Black: 4%
* Latino: 8%
* White: 51%
* Other: 28%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 30%
* Female: 70%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 22%
* 30k - 48k: 15%
* 48k - 75k: 16%
* 75k - 110k: 16%
* Over 110k: 31%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 71%
* Out of State: 23%
* International: 6%


2023 Food Science Salary

There are about 3,458 students enrolled in Food Science in the USA.

SALARY