Best Food Science Programs in the South (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Agriculture Colleges in the South
Regional list from Best Food Science Programs in the United States
This page ranks the 10 Food Science programs in the South by median earnings of Food Science graduates four years after completing. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University leads the list at $80,161, followed by University of Maryland-College Park at $73,677 and North Carolina State University at Raleigh at $72,782.
Across the list, reported earnings range from $80,161 to $39,940, with a median of $63,790. For 2 of the 10 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Every program on the list is at a public institution. University of Florida ranks 29th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the strongest showing in the group.
University of Florida posts the lowest average net price at $6,541, while Appalachian State University reports the highest admission rate at 90%.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University · Blacksburg, VA | $80,161 | $24,953 | $11,689 | 54.8% |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University reports $80,161 in median earnings for its Food Science graduates four years after completing, with 25 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 2 | University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD | $73,677 | $15,678 | $2,962 | 44.8% |
| University of Maryland-College Park admits 45% of applicants and its Food Science graduates earn a median of $73,677 four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh · Raleigh, NC | $72,782 | $17,303 | $6,382 | 41.7% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left North Carolina State University at Raleigh with a median of $20,121 in federal loans, while its Food Science completers earn a median of $72,782 four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville · Knoxville, TN | $68,114 | $18,976 | $10,029 | 41.6% |
| The University of Tennessee-Knoxville ranks 4th on this list and posts a median of $68,114 for its Food Science graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | University of Florida · Gainesville, FL | $64,078 | $6,541 | $1,982 | 24.2% |
| University of Florida carries an average net price of $6,541, and its Food Science graduates earn a median of $64,078 four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | Clemson University · Clemson, SC | $63,501 | $22,253 | $13,607 | 38.3% |
| Clemson University reports 59 graduates in the earnings cohort for Food Science, with a median of $63,501 four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | Appalachian State University · Boone, NC | $53,369 | $16,836 | $9,325 | 90.1% |
| Appalachian State University admits 90% of applicants and its Food Science graduates earn a median of $53,369 four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | University of Arkansas · Fayetteville, AR | $49,683 | $18,209 | $14,319 | 74.3% |
| University of Arkansas shows a median of $49,683 for its Food Science graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $18,209. | |||||
| 9 | University of Georgia · Athens, GA | $42,682 | $13,936 | $8,085 | 37.7% |
| Its Food Science graduates earn a median of $42,682 four years after completing, and University of Georgia ranks 95th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 10 | Mississippi State University · Mississippi State, MS | $39,940 | $17,595 | $14,332 | 77.6% |
| Mississippi State University reports a median of $39,940 for its Food Science graduates four years after completing, with 31 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Food Science graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the South appear. The figure reflects federally aided completers of the program who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 2 of the 10 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The spread from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University to the lowest-ranked program is $40,221, and the gap between Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and University of Maryland-College Park is $6,484.
Related rankings
- Best Food Science Programs in the United States
- Best Colleges in the South
- Best Food Science Programs in the Midwest
- Best Food Science Programs in the West
- Agriculture Colleges in the South for Social Mobility
- Best Agriculture Colleges in the South