Nutrition Sciences: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 55 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$93,709 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
16.0 yrsModeled economic break-even
−37%Modeled 10-year ROI
$60,728Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$60,728Median reported earnings · year 4
$57,219Average reported earnings · year 5
$24,418Median federal debt
48thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
55Reporting programs
53With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $74,445
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $60,728
- Federal debt
- $24,418
- Reporting programs
- 55
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $52,237
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Reporting programs
- 1
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $69,025
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 22
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $67,291
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$55,765National median$60,72875th percentile$63,292
53 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1University of California, Berkeley$79,3912North Carolina State University at Raleigh$75,5083California State University, Fresno$73,5224University of Georgia$70,8675New York University$70,5086University of Massachusetts-Lowell$69,6047California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo$68,9308Simmons University$68,0219Michigan State University$66,43710University of California, Davis$64,519Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1042 · 1 crosswalk linksBiological Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-1029 · 1 crosswalk linksDietetic TechniciansSOC 29-2051 · 1 crosswalk linksDietitians and NutritionistsSOC 29-1031 · 1 crosswalk linksFamily and Consumer Sciences Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1192 · 1 crosswalk linksFarm and Home Management EducatorsSOC 25-9021 · 1 crosswalk linksHealth Specialties Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1071 · 1 crosswalk linksLife Scientists, All OtherSOC 19-1099 · 1 crosswalk linksNatural Sciences ManagersSOC 11-9121 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California, BerkeleyBachelor's Degree | Berkeley, CA | $79,391 | $16,182 | +47% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | North Carolina State University at RaleighBachelor's Degree | Raleigh, NC | $75,508 | $22,511 | +22% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | California State University, FresnoBachelor's Degree | Fresno, CA | $73,522 | $11,375 | +37% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | University of GeorgiaBachelor's Degree | Athens, GA | $70,867 | $24,710 | +10% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | New York UniversityBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $70,508 | $21,500 | -22% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | University of Massachusetts-LowellBachelor's Degree | Lowell, MA | $69,604 | $29,750 | -1% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoBachelor's Degree | San Luis Obispo, CA | $68,930 | $17,620 | -3% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Simmons UniversityBachelor's Degree | Boston, MA | $68,021 | $27,000 | -18% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | Michigan State UniversityBachelor's Degree | East Lansing, MI | $66,437 | $25,000 | -17% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | University of California, DavisBachelor's Degree | Davis, CA | $64,519 | $14,166 | -18% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | Rutgers University-New BrunswickBachelor's Degree | New Brunswick, NJ | $64,441 | $25,250 | -30% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | University of ConnecticutBachelor's Degree | Storrs, CT | $63,292 | $27,000 | -35% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury CampusBachelor's Degree | Waterbury, CT | $63,292 | $27,000 | -18% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | University of Connecticut-Avery PointBachelor's Degree | Groton, CT | $63,292 | $27,000 | -22% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | University of Connecticut-StamfordBachelor's Degree | Stamford, CT | $63,292 | $27,000 | -26% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | University of Connecticut-Hartford CampusBachelor's Degree | Hartford, CT | $63,292 | $27,000 | -26% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | University of New Hampshire-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Durham, NH | $63,077 | $27,000 | -34% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | University of Massachusetts-AmherstBachelor's Degree | Amherst, MA | $63,019 | $23,791 | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend CollegeBachelor's Degree | Erie, PA | $63,010 | $26,000 | -35% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | University Park, PA | $63,010 | $26,000 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | Texas A&M University-College StationBachelor's Degree | College Station, TX | $62,289 | $21,850 | -35% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | Kansas State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Manhattan, KS | $62,128 | $24,625 | -34% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | Texas Tech UniversityBachelor's Degree | Lubbock, TX | $62,087 | $24,250 | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | San Francisco State UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Francisco, CA | $61,895 | $17,137 | -26% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | College of Saint BenedictBachelor's Degree | Saint Joseph, MN | $61,790 | $26,572 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | University of VermontBachelor's Degree | Burlington, VT | $61,238 | $19,500 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | Cornell UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ithaca, NY | $60,728 | $13,750 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | Metropolitan State University of DenverBachelor's Degree | Denver, CO | $60,395 | $26,750 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | Colorado State University-Fort CollinsBachelor's Degree | Fort Collins, CO | $59,528 | $24,750 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | University of Wisconsin-MadisonBachelor's Degree | Madison, WI | $59,329 | $20,500 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | California State University, ChicoBachelor's Degree | Chico, CA | $59,146 | $19,272 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | University of ArizonaBachelor's Degree | Tucson, AZ | $59,079 | $23,563 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesBachelor's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $59,054 | $24,586 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleBachelor's Degree | Knoxville, TN | $58,972 | $25,000 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | University of Nevada-Las VegasBachelor's Degree | Las Vegas, NV | $58,160 | $15,815 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | Dominican UniversityBachelor's Degree | River Forest, IL | $57,532 | Not available | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | University of Nevada-RenoBachelor's Degree | Reno, NV | $57,193 | $20,100 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | Central Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ellensburg, WA | $56,735 | $23,285 | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | Auburn UniversityBachelor's Degree | Auburn, AL | $56,579 | $26,000 | -58% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | La Salle UniversityBachelor's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $55,765 | $28,628 | -58% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | University of Hawaii at ManoaBachelor's Degree | Honolulu, HI | $55,569 | $22,639 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleBachelor's Degree | Carbondale, IL | $55,329 | $22,750 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 43 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeBachelor's Degree | Baton Rouge, LA | $55,159 | $23,250 | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 44 | San Diego State UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Diego, CA | $55,115 | $18,000 | -58% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | California State Polytechnic University-PomonaBachelor's Degree | Pomona, CA | $54,605 | $17,250 | -58% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | Iowa State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ames, IA | $53,933 | $16,474 | -65% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | Texas Woman's UniversityBachelor's Degree | Denton, TX | $53,775 | $28,211 | -61% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeBachelor's Degree | Milwaukee, WI | $53,006 | $31,000 | -67% | Negative payoff |
| 49 | California State University, Los AngelesBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $52,797 | $14,493 | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 50 | University of North Carolina at GreensboroBachelor's Degree | Greensboro, NC | $51,802 | $26,656 | -70% | Negative payoff |
| 51 | University of Southern IndianaBachelor's Degree | Evansville, IN | $49,739 | $25,000 | -80% | Negative payoff |
| 52 | University of Northern ColoradoBachelor's Degree | Greeley, CO | $45,979 | $25,346 | -96% | Negative payoff |
| 53 | Bastyr UniversityBachelor's Degree | Kenmore, WA | $44,584 | $23,225 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 54 | University of FloridaBachelor's Degree | Gainesville, FL | Not available | $17,182 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $6,541 |
| 55 | Seattle Pacific UniversityBachelor's Degree | Seattle, WA | Not available | $26,323 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $24,488 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.