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Family & Consumer Sciences · Nutrition & Food Science Rank #33 of 38

Nutrition & Food Scienceat Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus

Graduates earn $23,996/yr in their first year — about 24.0% below the national Nutrition & Food Science average. Base-case 10-year earnings $522K; scenarios range from $486K to $525K depending on AI disruption.

Indiana, PA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
36 AT RISK
37
Optimistic
37
Pessimistic
Earnings
$23,996
1-year post-graduation
ROI
9.1x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$522K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
45% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at IUP

The outcomes for this program suggest a challenging path, largely influenced by the regional job market and the complex career landscape within food and nutrition. Many entry-level roles in food service management or community nutrition in smaller areas like Indiana, PA, may not require a bachelor's degree, leading to wage compression. While dietitian roles typically offer better compensation, they often require extensive post-graduate supervised practice and further credentialing, which this undergraduate degree alone doesn't fulfill. You might find yourself competing for roles in school cafeterias, local elder care facilities, or smaller food operations where advancement opportunities are limited without additional specialization or business acumen. If you pursue this path, focus intensely on securing robust internships or co-ops early to gain experience, and critically assess whether your career goals require further education beyond this bachelor's.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$486K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score37/100
Earnings Multiple10.7x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$522K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score36/100
Earnings Multiple11.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$525K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score37/100
Earnings Multiple11.5x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to IUP's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Nutrition & Food Science graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Family and consumer sciences teachers, postsecondary
+3.4% 10-yr growth · 200 openings/yr
$77,280/yr
High
2
Dietitians and nutritionists
+5.5% 10-yr growth · 6,200 openings/yr
$73,850/yr
High
3
Food service managers
+6.4% 10-yr growth · 42,000 openings/yr
$65,310/yr
Moderate
4
First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
+6.0% 10-yr growth · 183,900 openings/yr
$42,010/yr
High
5
Dietetic technicians
+2.5% 10-yr growth · 4,000 openings/yr
$37,040/yr
High
6
Cooks, institution and cafeteria
+2.0% 10-yr growth · 69,700 openings/yr
$36,450/yr
Low
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Nutrition & Food Science

How IUP stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Texas Woman's University
TX · Public
58
DW Score
$46K
1-yr earn
12.4x
ROI
Top score
Framingham State University
MA · Public
61
DW Score
$42K
1-yr earn
12.3x
ROI
University of Missouri-Columbia
MO · Public
56
DW Score
$41K
1-yr earn
9.4x
ROI
Texas State University
TX · Public
51
DW Score
$37K
1-yr earn
10.6x
ROI
The University of Texas at Austin
TX · Public
57
DW Score
$36K
1-yr earn
12.8x
ROI
Also at IUP

Other top programs at IUP

Other highest-scoring programs offered at IUP, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Nutrition & Food Science offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Nutrition & Food Science trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Nutrition & Food Science at IUP

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Nutrition & Food Science at Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus?

A score of 36/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Nutrition & Food Science. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Is Nutrition & Food Science at Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus worth the student debt?

Median debt of $27,000 against $23,996/yr starting salary means roughly 1.1 years of earnings go to repayment. That's above average — financial aid and loan terms matter here.

Will AI replace Nutrition & Food Science careers?

With 45% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $486,075 in decade earnings vs $525,090 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Can you still earn well with Nutrition & Food Science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus?

First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.