Nutrition Sciences: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Nutrition Sciences graduates earn a median $60,053 four years after finishing — $11,693/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,902/yr net price ($67,608 over four years), that pays back in about 5.8 years. Federal data pools 118 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 3,769 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Nutrition Sciences ranks #107 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 48% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $79,391 |
| 2 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | NC | $75,508 |
| 3 | California State University-Fresno | CA | $73,522 |
| 4 | University of Georgia | GA | $70,867 |
| 5 | New York University | NY | $70,508 |
| 6 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | MA | $69,604 |
| 7 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | CA | $68,930 |
| 8 | Simmons University | MA | $68,021 |
| 9 | Michigan State University | MI | $66,437 |
| 10 | University of California-Davis | CA | $64,519 |
| 11 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | NJ | $64,441 |
| 12 | University of Connecticut | CT | $63,292 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.
How fast does Nutrition Sciences pay grow after graduation?
From $27,575 one year out to $60,053 four years out — a $32,478 climb, or 118% over three years. Both are federal medians of the same graduating cohorts, so the gap reflects real wage progression rather than a change in who is measured.
How many students graduate in Nutrition Sciences each year?
About 3,769 bachelor's graduates a year across 118 programs in the federal file. Cohort size matters when reading the median: a field this size averages across a wide range of employers, regions and job titles.