Reviewed by:
Third-Year Medical Student, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Reviewed: 10/17/23
Are you planning to study food sciences and looking for the best colleges for nutrition? Below, we’ll be going over the best nutrition colleges in the country.
Nutrition is a big part of our lives; it keeps our minds and bodies going. Understanding nutrition is crucial to better understanding diseases and finding preventative measures.
If you’re reading this, you’re most likely looking to enter the nutrition field! To help guide you, we’ll review the top schools for nutrition and dietetics in the U.S. and what each offers.
Here is an extensive list and overview of the top nutrition schools in the country.
As far as schools with nutrition majors go, New York University offers many programs, including:
An internship is available to students enrolled in the Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition program.
The University of North Carolina offers a bachelor of science in public health in nutrition. UNC's Department of Nutrition is one of the country’s top-ranked nutrition departments, making it one of the best colleges for nutrition. The program focuses on the science of nutrition in health and disease on a public health level.
The school also offers a dual degree program where students can earn their Master's within one year after completing their bachelor of science in public health.
UNC also has a Master of Public Health program where students can concentrate on nutrition, dietetics, or nutrition alone. Both programs focus on the science behind nutrition and public health.
The University of California–Davis offers two majors in nutrition. The Clinical Nutrition program teaches students about the sciences of nutrition and food service management, education, and sociology.
The Nutrition Science program focuses on nutrition. Key study areas include the impact of diet on health and disease, nutrition-related policy, and public health issues.
The University of Texas at Austin offers students a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition. The program looks at how nutrition links to health, behavior, population, culture, and economics. Among the top schools with nutrition majors, the University of Texas offers an excellent array of diverse options to study:
The University of Texas also offers a Master of Science and a Ph.D. The master's program focuses on areas of study such as:
The Ph.D. program is structured to prepare students for research, teaching, and administrative positions in educational institutions and government.
The University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign only offers graduate degrees in nutrition. The graduate program includes:
Although the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign doesn't offer any undergraduate program in nutrition, its graduate degree programs are outstanding.
Case Western Reserve University offers many programs in nutrition:
Case Western Reserve University offers an extensive list of programs in nutrition where students can acquire the hands-on and technical skills needed to succeed.
The Ohio State University offers two master’s programs in nutrition and a dietetic internship program. The Master of Science program in human nutrition allows students to research present-day nutritional health problems in individuals and populations.
The Master of Dietetics and Nutrition is for students who want to pursue a registered dietitian graduate program. The curriculum focuses on the science behind nutrition. The Dietetic Internship prepares students for a career in nutrition by giving them the hands-on and technical skills needed to succeed in their careers.
Syracuse University offers both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nutrition. The university offered its first nutrition courses in 1917. With over 100 years of providing students with nutrition classes, Syracuse is an excellent nutritionist school.
Syracuse University offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Nutrition and Nutrition Science. Both programs offer students a detailed oversight of knowledge in nutrition. Students can use both degrees to become certified dieticians.
The university also offers Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees in Nutrition Science. Both programs prepare students for future nutrition careers.
The University of Minnesota offers a Nutrition major to undergraduate students. The major has three tracks:
Graduate students can also pursue a degree in nutrition.
The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts offers one of the most comprehensive nutrition programs in the nation, integrating policy, science, and public health. Unlike traditional programs, Friedman’s approach includes specialized fields like agricultural economics, nutrition communication, and food systems.
The school is known for groundbreaking research, particularly in areas like nutrition’s role in chronic disease prevention, obesity, and sustainable food policies. Students have access to world-class labs and projects funded by organizations such as the NIH and the USDA.
Located near Boston, Tufts students gain exposure to policy-making at the state and federal levels, often working with government agencies, healthcare institutions, and nonprofits to create practical solutions to global food and nutrition challenges.
UC Berkeley’s Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology emphasizes a strong foundation in biological sciences, metabolism, and genetic interactions with nutrition. This prepares students for advanced careers in research, personalized nutrition, and biochemistry.
The program’s collaboration with Berkeley’s School of Public Health allows students to explore nutrition in the context of population health, environmental factors, and epidemiology.
With access to UC Berkeley’s state-of-the-art research centers, students engage in critical research projects on subjects like gut microbiota, bioactive compounds in food, and nutrient impact on disease risk. The department has partnerships with Silicon Valley companies, which provide internship and research experiences in cutting-edge food technology and health innovation.
UW-Madison’s nutrition programs prioritize research on pressing issues such as obesity, diabetes, and metabolic health. The department’s partnership with the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) offers significant funding for nutrition research, making it one of the best-resourced programs in the country.
Students benefit from strong clinical training through partnerships with local hospitals, offering direct experience in dietetics and patient care. Additionally, the school collaborates with public health agencies on initiatives addressing nutrition access in rural communities.
For students interested in a science-driven path, the program offers extensive training in molecular nutrition, focusing on biochemical mechanisms of disease prevention and treatment.
Cornell’s Division of Nutritional Sciences offers a great curriculum combining aspects of dietetics, molecular biology, and public health. Students can choose tracks in areas like global health, epidemiology, or nutritional biochemistry, allowing for highly personalized study paths.
Cornell is a leader in global health nutrition research, providing students with opportunities to study malnutrition and food insecurity in developing countries. The university’s ties with international organizations and government agencies allow students to conduct research abroad, making Cornell an excellent choice for students interested in global nutrition.
The program is known for its pioneering work in fields like neurobiology and nutrient-gene interactions. Cornell’s Human Metabolic Research Unit provides students with hands-on research experience, using state-of-the-art facilities to explore nutritional genomics, energy metabolism, and cognitive nutrition.
The Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Arizona combines clinical nutrition, community health, and food safety. The program has a special focus on prevention and treatment, making it ideal for students interested in the clinical aspects of nutrition.
Arizona has positioned itself as a leader in nutrigenomics, offering students hands-on experience in labs that study how genetics influence dietary needs. This focus prepares students for the emerging field of personalized nutrition.
Arizona’s Tucson location offers a diverse population base, allowing students to work on projects related to nutrition in underserved communities, culturally sensitive diet planning, and health education. The school also partners with Hispanic communities on initiatives to improve public health outcomes through nutrition.
The University of Florida’s Food Science and Human Nutrition Department focuses on integrating research with clinical training. This program is particularly strong for students aiming to become registered dietitians, offering supervised rotations in hospitals and health clinics.
UF places a significant emphasis on how nutrition impacts chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. Research in these areas prepares students for careers in clinical nutrition, public health policy, or research roles addressing health disparities.
The university is highly involved in research related to food science and biochemistry, especially on bioactive compounds and phytochemicals in food. Students interested in nutritional sciences and biochemistry benefit from this research-driven approach, with access to UF’s food science labs and the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) for applied research experience.
Choosing the right nutrition program for you can seem overwhelming, so we’ve outlined three tips to remember when narrowing down your options.
It can be easy to get caught up in what you think is right, rather than what you actually want to do. But the reality is, you don’t have to go to the top school for nutrition if it doesn’t align with your goals.
You might not care about prestige, and that’s okay. The good news is that any program on this list can be the right one for you if you clearly define your goals.
As an up-and-coming nutritionist, hands-on experience is paramount. When deciding on your school, look for a program that values in-person learning opportunities; textbooks can only teach so much!
For example, look into how much they emphasize clinical rotations in hospitals or healthcare facilities. Working in these settings allows you to see firsthand how practicing nutritionists deal with their patients. This will be extremely valuable for your education and career.
Specializing in an area of medicine is always a good idea and this remains true for nutritionists. When choosing your program, find out if they offer opportunities for you to branch your education out to different specializations.
For example, some programs might allow you to branch out into sports nutrition, clinical dietetics, public health, or food science. If you’d like to pursue one or more of these specialties, then find a program known for it!
It might also be a good idea to speak to alumni about their experiences. This could be a great way to get a second opinion on your specialty.
If you’re still unsure which program is best for you, take our medical school selection quiz. Our quiz uses a complex algorithm to assess which programs are right for you.
Do you still have questions about the top colleges for nutrition? Check out these FAQs!
According to U.S. News, the best college for a nutrition major is New York University. Schools that also make this list include:
A nutrition major is heavily focused on science courses; if you’re not the best at science, you may find a nutrition major challenging. If you want to do well in your nutrition major, you must study and keep up with your classes. With effort and time, you can see fantastic results!
There are many excellent majors for those interested in nutrition, including:
Although you can also pursue Chemistry/Biology/Biochemistry, these three majors focus more on food, health, and nutrition.
While NYU takes the top spot on our list, any college offering a nutrition track may be an excellent option for you, depending on your needs and preferences.
The best schools for nutrition in New York are NYU and Syracuse University.
If a career in nutrition is something you're passionate about, colleges with good nutrition programs make excellent options. Before building your school list, ensure you evaluate your needs and preferences to find a great fit. Good luck!
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