45 Best colleges for Nutrition and Food Science in California, US

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in California ranked based on their research performance in Nutrition and Food Science. A graph of 1.9M citations received by 39.4K academic papers made by 45 universities in California was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Nutrition and Food Science

#2 in the United States

#2 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Receiving Aid: 65%
Average Aid: $24,591
Enrollment: 40,065

2. University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley

For Nutrition and Food Science

#19 in the United States

#22 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Receiving Aid: 63%
Average Aid: $29,608
Enrollment: 45,882

3. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Nutrition and Food Science

#32 in the United States

#41 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Receiving Aid: 59%
Average Aid: $25,627
Enrollment: 47,335

4. Stanford University

Stanford

For Nutrition and Food Science

#41 in the United States

#50 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $25,078

5. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Nutrition and Food Science

#43 in the United States

#52 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Receiving Aid: 66%
Average Aid: $25,757
Enrollment: 44,256

6. University of California - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Nutrition and Food Science

#51 in the United States

#60 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 3,007
Male:Female: 36:64
Founded: 1864

7. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Nutrition and Food Science

#64 in the United States

#74 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $24,355
Enrollment: 26,384

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Nutrition and Food Science

#77 in the United States

#90 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Average SAT: 1500
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $43,412

9. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Nutrition and Food Science

#89 in the United States

#105 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $23,110
Enrollment: 37,297

10. Loma Linda University

Loma Linda

For Nutrition and Food Science

#106 in the United States

#122 in North America

Enrollment: 4,210
Male:Female: 34:66
Founded: 1905

11. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Nutrition and Food Science

#127 in the United States

#144 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Receiving Aid: 62%
Average Aid: $14,338
Enrollment: 23,069

12. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Nutrition and Food Science

#128 in the United States

#145 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $24,695
Enrollment: 26,133

13. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Nutrition and Food Science

#136 in the United States

#154 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Net Price: $14,513
Receiving Aid: 70%
Average Aid: $72,373

14. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Nutrition and Food Science

#138 in the United States

#157 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Receiving Aid: 62%
Average Aid: $12,053
Enrollment: 41,137

15. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Nutrition and Food Science

#164 in the United States

#188 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Receiving Aid: 64%
Average Aid: $22,774
Enrollment: 19,938

16. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Nutrition and Food Science

#190 in the United States

#217 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Receiving Aid: 88%
Average Aid: $12,326
Enrollment: 24,427

17. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Nutrition and Food Science

#194 in the United States

#223 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $11,833
Enrollment: 27,636

18. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Nutrition and Food Science

#208 in the United States

#240 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Receiving Aid: 69%
Average Aid: $12,353
Enrollment: 37,661

19. Chapman University

Orange

For Nutrition and Food Science

#234 in the United States

#268 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average SAT: 1350
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $47,902

20. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Nutrition and Food Science

#252 in the United States

#289 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Receiving Aid: 74%
Average Aid: $10,748
Enrollment: 6,237

21. Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park

For Nutrition and Food Science

#257 in the United States

#294 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $9,094
Enrollment: 5,891

22. California State University - Chico

Chico

For Nutrition and Food Science

#258 in the United States

#295 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 75%
Average Aid: $11,509
Enrollment: 15,257

23. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Nutrition and Food Science

#263 in the United States

#301 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $13,824
Enrollment: 23,163

24. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Nutrition and Food Science

#264 in the United States

#302 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Receiving Aid: 81%
Average Aid: $12,996
Enrollment: 22,563

25. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Nutrition and Food Science

#273 in the United States

#311 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Receiving Aid: 82%
Average Aid: $11,795
Enrollment: 42,003

26. Western University of Health Sciences

Pomona

For Nutrition and Food Science

#291 in the United States

#331 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 3,665
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1977

27. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Nutrition and Food Science

#292 in the United States

#332 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $12,825
Enrollment: 38,313

28. Touro University California

Vallejo

For Nutrition and Food Science

#295 in the United States

#335 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 0%
Enrollment: 1,144
Male:Female: 36:64
Founded: 1997

29. Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

San Diego

For Nutrition and Food Science

#297 in the United States

#337 in North America

Enrollment: 52
Male:Female: 32:68

30. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Nutrition and Food Science

#330 in the United States

#371 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1332
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $31,670

31. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Nutrition and Food Science

#356 in the United States

#401 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Average SAT: 1420
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $53,883

32. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Nutrition and Food Science

#368 in the United States

#414 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 62%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $45,443

33. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Nutrition and Food Science

#378 in the United States

#424 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Net Price: $37,918
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $40,965

34. Occidental College

Los Angeles

For Nutrition and Food Science

#383 in the United States

#429 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Average SAT: 1450
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $48,400

35. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Nutrition and Food Science

#391 in the United States

#438 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $27,292
Enrollment: 9,110

36. University of the West

Rosemead

For Nutrition and Food Science

#401 in the United States

#448 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $14,713
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $9,445

37. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Nutrition and Food Science

#414 in the United States

#461 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 83%
Average Aid: $11,234
Enrollment: 43,662

38. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento

For Nutrition and Food Science

#436 in the United States

#484 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $12,767
Enrollment: 31,943

39. Pomona College

Claremont

For Nutrition and Food Science

#454 in the United States

#502 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $19,938

40. Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science

Los Angeles

For Nutrition and Food Science

#470 in the United States

#519 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Net Price: $35,558
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $4,276

41. California State University Maritime Academy

Vallejo

For Nutrition and Food Science

#479 in the United States

#528 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Receiving Aid: 68%
Average Aid: $11,038
Enrollment: 837

42. California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino

For Nutrition and Food Science

#482 in the United States

#531 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $12,167
Enrollment: 18,492

43. Soka University of America

Aliso Viejo

For Nutrition and Food Science

#487 in the United States

#537 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Average SAT: 1422
Net Price: $15,691
Receiving Aid: 100%

44. Palo Alto University

Palo Alto

For Nutrition and Food Science

#491 in the United States

#542 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 1,065
Male:Female: 16:84
Founded: 1975

45. Master's University and Seminary

Santa Clarita

For Nutrition and Food Science

#493 in the United States

#545 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Net Price: $37,919
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $16,990

Closest to California states to learn Nutrition and Food Science

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	8	21
Utah	4	47
Arizona	4	33
Idaho	3	66
Washington	7	18
Colorado	7	36
New Mexico	3	97
Nebraska	5	22
South Dakota	4	52
Kansas	5	16
Texas	34	15
Oklahoma	6	55
North Dakota	2	46
Minnesota	5	5
Iowa	3	8
Missouri	11	31
Arkansas	7	26
Louisiana	9	56
Wisconsin	8	3
Illinois	19	4
Mississippi	7	45
Indiana	10	12
Michigan	11	11
Tennessee	12	37
Alabama	9	40
Kentucky	5	28
Ohio	17	10
Georgia	13	9
West Virginia	3	93
South Carolina	5	50
North Carolina	13	14
Virginia	12	27
Pennsylvania	23	13
Florida	20	6
District of Columbia	5	110
Maryland	10	25
New York	49	1
New Jersey	12	17
Connecticut	7	35
Massachusetts	24	7
New Hampshire	3	102
Rhode Island	3	115
Maine	3	105
Puerto Rico	4	276