Compare 21 Human Nutrition. programs in the South. Average earnings: $44,222.
While school rankings suggest predictable outcomes, Human Nutrition tells a different story. Across 21 programs, earnings range from $29,685 to $58,692—variation that tracks program quality, not overall school reputation.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University's Human Nutrition program leads with graduates earning $58,692, well above the $44,222 average. Oklahoma State University follows at $55,230, while The University Of Texas At Austin rounds out the top three at $53,360—proving that program-specific factors drive outcomes across diverse institutions.
High earnings don't tell the whole story—debt burden matters. Virginia Polytechnic Institute graduates borrow $21,500 and face just an 8.2% payment burden, landing in the 'Good' category. That means loan payments take a manageable bite out of their post-grad income, making strong outcomes truly affordable.
Highest program earnings: $58,692
Strong outcomes with 57% acceptance
8.2% payment burden | Good
21.5% family burden | Challenging
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Cohort Size | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $58,692 | 213 | $21,500 | Good | $35,325 | Challenging | |
| #2 | $55,230 | 104 | $20,500 | Good | $38,513 | High | |
| #3 | $53,360 | 145 | $20,500 | Good | $26,632 | Challenging | |
| #4 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $53,227 | 34 | $20,093 | Good | $37,285 | High |
| #5 | $51,925 | 8 | $17,804 | Good | $32,258 | High | |
| #6 | Baylor UniversityPrivate | $51,917 | 23 | $23,000 | Good | $50,786 | High |
| #7 | University Of KentuckyPublic | $49,782 | 57 | $22,500 | Good | $30,006 | High |
| #8 | University Of HoustonPublic | $47,425 | 168 | $18,194 | Good | $18,072 | Challenging |
| #9 | Texas State UniversityPublic | $47,206 | 87 | $21,000 | Good | $22,500 | High |
| #10 | $47,093 | 15 | $23,409 | Manageable | $18,080 | Challenging | |
| #11 | $46,464 | 17 | $21,983 | Manageable | $19,433 | High | |
| #12 | University Of ArkansasPublic | $43,887 | 58 | $21,500 | Manageable | $28,086 | High |
| #13 | Texas Woman's UniversityPublic | $40,121 | 20 | $19,218 | Manageable | $13,471 | High |
| #14 | Lamar UniversityPublic | $39,366 | 23 | $21,250 | Manageable | $11,359 | High |
| #15 | $39,297 | 16 | $23,250 | Challenging | $16,000 | High | |
| #16 | University Of DelawarePublic | $39,066 | 18 | $24,572 | Challenging | $43,000 | High |
| #17 | $37,836 | 160 | $22,750 | Challenging | $48,666 | High | |
| #18 | $36,740 | 43 | $20,000 | Challenging | $14,229 | High | |
| #19 | Winthrop UniversityPublic | $36,713 | 16 | $26,975 | High | $23,888 | High |
| #20 | Morgan State UniversityPublic | $29,685 | 15 | $27,250 | High | $22,000 | High |
| #21 | $23,633 | 34 | $14,000 | High | $25,072 | High |
Our program rankings answer: "Which schools have the best outcomes for graduates of this specific major?"
Unlike traditional rankings that measure overall school quality, these rankings focus on program-level outcomes. A school that's #200 overall might have a top-10 nursing program — and that matters if you're studying nursing.
Data based on 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
