Best Nutrition Schools Near Lancaster, PA (2026)

Updated September 1, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Lancaster, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering nutrition programs. Lancaster has a population of about 57,683. Median household income is $63,421 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lancaster, PA metro area, the top-earning nutrition-related role is Health Education Specialist at a median $87,190 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Nutrition Schools to Lancaster

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer nutrition programs near Lancaster, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Lancaster city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Lancaster. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Messiah University

Mechanicsburg, PA 37.2 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,064
Avg net price $26,502/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 87

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, PA 37.7 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,258
Avg net price $23,331/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 103

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Immaculata University

Immaculata, PA 38.7 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $75,701
Avg net price $24,258/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Cedar Crest College

Allentown, PA 55.8 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
56.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 84%
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,460
Avg net price $18,659/yr
Tuition
In‑state$46,314
Out‑of‑state$46,314
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Drexel University

Philadelphia, PA 59.1 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $84,648
Avg net price $38,509/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 187

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Temple University

Philadelphia, PA 60.7 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,727
Avg net price $28,198/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 230

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

La Salle University

Philadelphia, PA 60.7 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,416
Avg net price $19,409/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Thomas Jefferson University

Philadelphia, PA 60.8 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
70.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $77,449
Avg net price $28,928/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Pennsylvania schools on the Pennsylvania nutrition page.

Nutrition Wages Near Lancaster

Lancaster is part of the Lancaster, PA metro area (BLS area code 29540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Dietitian and Nutritionist$66,320Lancaster, PA$67,467
Dietetic Technician$31,720Lancaster, PA$32,269
Health Education Specialist$87,190Lancaster, PA$88,698
Food Scientist and Technologist$86,320Lancaster, PA$87,813

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Lancaster at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population57,683Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$63,421Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+27.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)98.3 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Lancaster-Area Cities With Nutrition Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nutrition schools are near Lancaster, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nutrition programs near Lancaster. The closest is Messiah University in Mechanicsburg, PA (37.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Morgan State University (50.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying nutrition roles near Lancaster?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nutrition-related roles near Lancaster are: Health Education Specialist ($87,190), Food Scientist and Technologist ($86,320), Dietitian and Nutritionist ($66,320). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Lebanon instead of Lancaster?

Lebanon, PA is 21.6 miles from Lancaster and has its own set of local nutrition programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Lancaster an affordable place to study nutrition?

Lancaster’s median household income of $63,421 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lancaster while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Nutrition Programs

Other Programs Available in Lancaster

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Lancaster:

Data verified: September 1, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Nutrition Schools in Pennsylvania: Online Programs (2026)