Nutrition Sciences Colleges Under $20,000

The Ohio University system stands out with five regional campuses offering Nutrition Sciences programs, yet their graduation rates tell a concerning story. While the main campus in Athens isn't on this list, these satellite locations show completion rates ranging from just 12.1% at Chillicothe to 20% at Eastern Campus in Saint Clairsville. This contrasts sharply with powerhouse programs like University of Florida's 91.5% graduation rate at $6,351 net cost. The national food industry employs over 1.7 million nutrition professionals, with growing demand in clinical settings, sports nutrition, and corporate wellness programs driving job growth of 7% annually. California dominates affordable options with four Cal State campuses under $9,000, while regional public universities across Ohio, Texas, and Nevada provide accessible pathways into this expanding field.

Programs

$4,113 – $16,775

Net Price Range

$29,195

Avg. Program Earnings

56.5%

Avg. Graduation Rate

50 Nutrition Sciences Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	California State University-Los Angeles Los Angeles, California	$4,113	$6,813	52.6%	86.9%
2	Ohio University-Eastern Campus Saint Clairsville, Ohio	$4,503	$6,178	20.0%
3	Ohio University-Southern Campus Ironton, Ohio	$5,328	$6,178	19.3%
4	California State University-San Bernardino San Bernardino, California	$5,918	$7,675	54.7%	91.1%
5	Ohio University-Zanesville Campus Zanesville, Ohio	$5,971	$6,178	17.7%
6	Ohio University-Lancaster Campus Lancaster, Ohio	$6,133	$6,178	13.7%
7	University of Florida Gainesville, Florida	$6,351	$6,381	91.5%	23.4%
8	California State University-Fresno Fresno, California	$6,480	$6,980	54.8%	95.4%
9	Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus Chillicothe, Ohio	$6,483	$6,178	12.1%
10	The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, Texas	$6,500	$9,859	49.3%	87.7%
11	Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo Campus Gurabo, Puerto Rico	$7,668	$6,920	30.2%
12	University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus Waterbury, Connecticut	$8,896	$17,462	59.5%	97.9%
13	California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, California	$8,931	$7,008	69.9%	40.0%
14	Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, New York	$9,173	$8,576	57.1%	73.2%
15	University of Nevada-Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada	$10,011	$9,142	50.1%	85.3%
16	University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, North Carolina	$10,170	$7,593	57.9%	91.9%
17	California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, California	$10,512	$7,602	55.8%	93.2%
18	Texas Woman's University Denton, Texas	$10,948	$8,648	44.2%	93.6%
19	McNeese State University Lake Charles, Louisiana	$11,257	$8,460	52.0%	71.2%
20	University of Connecticut-Avery Point Groton, Connecticut	$11,504	$17,462	56.7%	97.4%
21	California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona, California	$11,580	$7,439	66.7%	55.4%
22	Shepherd University Shepherdstown, West Virginia	$12,391	$8,642	49.5%	95.9%
23	University of Southern Indiana Evansville, Indiana	$12,621	$10,136	52.0%	94.4%
24	Utah State University Logan, Utah	$12,869	$9,228	57.3%	93.7%
25	San Francisco State University San Francisco, California	$12,882	$7,424	50.1%	94.2%
26	University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, Hawaii	$13,181	$12,186	62.6%	72.8%
27	University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus Hartford, Connecticut	$13,339	$17,452	65.4%	97.3%
28	University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, Washington	$13,485	$12,643	83.7%	47.5%
29	University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Stevens Point, Wisconsin	$13,726	$8,834	56.0%	89.1%
30	San Jose State University San Jose, California	$13,741	$7,992	64.7%	76.7%
31	University of Georgia Athens, Georgia	$13,816	$11,180	87.2%	42.6%
32	Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, Indiana	$13,945	$9,992	83.1%	52.7%
33	University of Connecticut-Stamford Stamford, Connecticut	$14,059	$17,472	56.9%	92.2%
34	Montclair State University Montclair, New Jersey	$14,159	$14,766	64.3%	91.3%
35	Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, Colorado	$14,294	$10,780	29.9%	97.9%
36	Brigham Young University Provo, Utah	$14,487	$6,496	82.2%	66.7%
37	University of the District of Columbia Washington, District of Columbia	$14,693	$6,152	26.3%
38	Central Washington University Ellensburg, Washington	$14,715	$9,192	49.9%	93.5%
39	California State University-Chico Chico, California	$14,838	$8,064	63.6%	95.0%
40	University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, California	$14,979	$14,850	92.9%	11.3%
41	Dominican University River Forest, Illinois	$15,113	$37,844	62.4%	89.5%
42	University of California-Davis Davis, California	$15,288	$15,247	85.1%	37.3%
43	University of Nevada-Reno Reno, Nevada	$15,402	$8,994	62.4%	85.6%
44	Mississippi State University Mississippi State, Mississippi	$15,501	$9,815	62.9%	75.2%
45	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, California	$15,624	$11,075	85.2%	30.4%
46	University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona	$15,960	$13,626	65.9%	86.8%
47	San Diego State University San Diego, California	$16,174	$8,290	78.3%	39.3%
48	University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee, Wisconsin	$16,177	$10,020	51.2%	86.3%
49	Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Carbondale, Illinois	$16,177	$13,244	56.3%	91.5%
50	University of Central Arkansas Conway, Arkansas	$16,775	$10,118	53.3%	91.2%

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes University of Florida's program strong at $6,351 net cost?

Florida combines the lowest acceptance rate at 23.35% with the highest graduation rate at 91.5% among these affordable options. Students graduate with $16,500 in debt, which is manageable given the strong program outcomes. The selectivity indicates rigorous academics while the cost remains below many community college programs.

How do Ohio University regional campuses compare for nutrition studies?

Five Ohio University satellite campuses offer nutrition programs with nearly identical pricing around $6,000 net cost. However, graduation rates vary dramatically from 12.1% at Chillicothe to 20% at Eastern Campus. These campuses serve rural communities but struggle with student retention compared to main university locations.

Is California State University the best value for nutrition programs?

Cal State schools dominate the affordable nutrition market with four campuses under $9,000. Long Beach offers the strongest outcomes with 69.9% graduation rates despite 39.95% acceptance rates. Los Angeles provides the lowest net cost at $4,113 while maintaining 52.6% graduation rates and broad accessibility.

Does program cost correlate with graduate earnings in nutrition?

Graduate earnings show a narrow range from $28,753 to $30,988 among reported schools, regardless of program cost. University of Nevada Las Vegas graduates earn $28,753 at $10,011 net cost, while UConn Waterbury graduates earn $29,141 at $8,896. The field shows consistent entry-level salaries across different program price points.

Where can students find the most affordable nutrition programs?

California State University Los Angeles offers the lowest net cost at $4,113, followed by Ohio University Eastern at $4,503. Public universities dominate with 14 of 15 schools being state institutions. Universidad Ana G. Mendez in Puerto Rico represents the sole private option at $7,668 net cost with 30.2% graduation rates.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.