Nutrition & Food Science at University of Missouri-Columbia

Columbia, MO · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
56 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
56
Optimistic
56
Base Case
53
Pessimistic
Earnings $40,837/yr (30% vs median)
AI Risk High (45% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (306,000 openings/yr)
ROI 9.9x earnings multiple (4.1x out-of-state)
Ranked #4 of 38 Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services programs Top 25%

Program Analysis

Mizzou's strong reputation as a flagship institution in Missouri likely underpins the impressive outcomes you're seeing for its Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services graduates. This program stands out nationally, often benefiting from direct pipelines into regional healthcare systems like University Hospital and Boone Hospital Center in Columbia, as well as school districts across the state for teaching and food service management roles. The "Related Services" aspect often emphasizes community health and education, fields with steady demand. While the data points to a high AI risk for the general field, Mizzou's focus on clinical dietetics, nutritional counseling, and family and consumer sciences education cultivates essential human-centric skills that are harder to automate. These roles rely heavily on interpersonal communication, empathy, and complex problem-solving. To thrive long-term, consider specializing in an area like clinical dietetics or public health nutrition, and actively seek internships that build strong client-facing or leadership experience.

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Nutrition & Food Science graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption
Base Case
Gradual AI
Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $565K $559K $514K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 10.0x 9.9x 9.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 4.1x 4.1x 3.7x
Probability of Field Employment 52% 47% 36%
DegreeOutlook Score 56 56 53

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$56,520
Out-of-state: $137,352 (4.1x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$79,556
-41% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$22,500
6.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$58,530
43% growth from Year 1

About University of Missouri-Columbia

University of Missouri-Columbia accepts 77% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, with 23,118 students enrolled in Columbia, MO.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Missouri-Columbia →

Top Career Paths

Family and consumer sciences teachers, postsecondary $77,280/yr
Dietitians and nutritionists $73,850/yr
Food service managers $65,310/yr
View all 6 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Nutrition & Food Science at Other Schools

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of Missouri-Columbia's Nutrition & Food Science program score?
This program scores 56/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Nutrition & Food Science graduates.
How vulnerable is Nutrition & Food Science to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Nutrition & Food Science careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 45% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does University of Missouri-Columbia rank so high for Nutrition & Food Science?
The #4 ranking out of 38 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →