The 20 US colleges with the best food, ranked

• College dining hall food gets a pretty bad rap.
• These colleges and universities, however, have some of the best on-campus food options in the US.
• Their campuses host popular fast-food chains, all-you-can-eat halls, and food trucks.

Whether you're powering through an all-night study session, squeezing in lunch between lectures, or grabbing a snack on the way back to your dorm, on-campus food is an essential part of college life.

Niche identified the top colleges nationwide for their dining halls and on-campus food options, based on student reviews and meal plan costs reported by the Department of Education.

The top-rated schools for food include both private and public institutions. Students at highly ranked schools have access to high-quality, healthy foods across different cuisines and dietary needs, according to Niche.

Every institution on this list was awarded a campus food grade of A+. We also included each school's average meal plan cost (where available), acceptance rate, and net cost of attendance, based on data from the Department of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).

Here are the top 20 US schools for dining, ranked.

20. Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut

Wesleyan University serves made-from-scratch meals across campus, from vegan, kosher, and comfort-food options at Usdan Marketplace to late-night bites at Summerfields.

Students can also grab coffee, snacks, groceries, and food-truck fare between classes.

Overall Niche grade: A+

Acceptance rate: 16%

Net price: $23,025

19. Grand Canyon University in Phoenix

Grand Canyon University has more than 35 on-campus dining spots, including a dining hall, coffee shops, a food court, and popular chains such as Chick-fil-A, Subway, and Panda Express.

Students can choose from everything from burgers and pizza to salads, smoothies, and grab-and-go snacks.

Overall Niche grade: B

Average meal plan cost: $4,200 per year

Acceptance rate: 79%

Net price: $22,928

18. Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York

At the Culinary Institute of America, students can dine at a casual bakery café, a lively student commons, and public restaurants focused on American, French, and Italian cuisines.

Many of the on-campus eateries also double as classrooms, where CIA students prepare and serve meals to paying guests.

Overall Niche grade: C+

Average meal plan cost: $4,650 per year

Acceptance rate: 91%

Net price: $39,581

17. University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia

The University of Georgia has six dining commons serving everything from stir-fry, made-to-order omelets, tacos, pasta, and burgers to smoothies, salads, and allergen-friendly dishes.

Students can also find fast-food options like Chick-fil-A, Panda Express, and Barberitos, as well as other grab-and-go options across campus.

Overall Niche grade: A+

Average meal plan cost: $4,444 per year

Acceptance rate: 38%

Net price: $16,662

16. Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania

Muhlenberg College's Wood Dining Commons features eight chef-attended dining stations with customizable meals, including vegan, vegetarian, kosher, and allergen-friendly options.

Across campus, students can also pick up sushi, sandwiches, grilled food, Starbucks coffee, and freshly baked desserts at the campus food court, cafés, and pop-up food trucks.

Overall Niche grade: B

Average meal plan cost: $6,636 per year

Acceptance rate: 72%

Net price: $34,739

15. University of North Texas in Denton, Texas

The University of North Texas has five dining halls and a wide range of retail options, including Chick-fil-A, Burger King, Jamba, sushi, made-to-order burgers, pizza, and a customizable noodle bar.

The university is also home to Mean Greens Café, the country's first fully vegan dining hall, and Kitchen West, which is free of the Big 9 allergens and gluten.

Overall Niche grade: B+

Acceptance rate: 72%

Net price: $15,965

14. University of San Diego in San Diego

The University of San Diego offers a broad mix of campus dining options, from global food hall concepts at Pavilion Dining to Mediterranean fare, Latin dishes, made-to-order stir-fry, and a bistro-style California restaurant.

Students can also grab Peet's coffee and crepes on their way to class, as well as frozen yogurt, smoothies, and groceries around campus.

Overall Niche grade: A-

Acceptance rate: 52%

Net price: $37,918

13. University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio

The University of Dayton has 13 dining venues, including spots for breakfast, soups, sandwiches, salads, and more.

Students can also grab coffee, smoothies, bakery items, and snacks at the 24/7 Emporium, which uses "just walk out" checkout technology, so shopping is faster.

Overall Niche grade: A

Average meal plan cost: $6,590 per year

Acceptance rate: 66%

Net price: $32,794

12. Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida

Students at Lynn University rave about the main dining hub, Mary's Kitchen, which features a rotating menu of international cuisines, American favorites like mac and cheese, vegan and gluten-free options, homemade desserts, and an ice-cream bar.

Students can also visit Christine's for artisan sandwiches and baked desserts or grab Starbucks drinks and snacks at the Perper Coffee House.

Overall Niche grade: C+

Acceptance rate: 73%

Net price: $45,469

11. St. John Fisher University in Rochester, New York

St. John Fisher University offers an all-you-care-to-eat dining hall with Asian-inspired dishes, pasta, pizza, salads, grab-and-go deli sandwiches, and grilled favorites, as well as on-campus spots for Starbucks drinks, made-to-order sandwiches, and customizable tacos and burrito bowls.

Overall Niche grade: B-

Average meal plan cost: $6,300 per year

Acceptance rate: 66%

Net price: $30,540

10. Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia

Kennesaw State University's full-service dining halls feature fresh ingredients and menus that change daily, including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-friendly items.

Students can also find Chick-fil-A, Panda Express, Moe's, Starbucks, and Jamba locations across campus.

Overall Niche grade: B

Average meal plan cost: $4,547 per year

Acceptance rate: 69%

Net price: $15,636

9. High Point University in High Point, North Carolina

High Point University has more than 20 campus dining locations, including Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, Jamba Juice, and casual cafés, as well as a diner, salad bar, and bakery.

One of the most unusual aspects of dining on campus at HPU is a trio of fine-dining learning labs — 1924 Prime, Kazoku, and Alo — which students can visit through certain meal plans.

Overall Niche grade: B

Average meal plan cost: $10,110 per year

Acceptance rate: 75%

Net price: $43,086

8. Florida International University in Miami

With over 35 dining locations across campus, students at Florida International University rave about the variety of food options.

From Chili's to Chick-fil-A and Panera Bread, there's no shortage of places to grab a bite between classes or hang out with friends over a meal.

Overall Niche grade: A

Average meal plan cost: $4,656 per year

Acceptance rate: 55%

Net price: $11,178

7. James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia

James Madison University offers two state-of-the-art, all-you-can-eat dining halls with hibachi and stone-oven pizza.

There's also the Festival Food Court, where students can grab sandwiches and more from outlets like Madison Press Deli, Ignite Pizza and Pasta, and Chick-fil-A.

Overall Niche grade: B+

Average meal plan cost: $6,636 per year

Acceptance rate: 72%

Net price: $18,856

6. Bates College in Lewiston, Maine

From late-night options at the Bobcat Den to pasta, omelet, and pho stations at the main dining hall, there are plenty of dining options to satiate students at Bates College.

Overall Niche grade: A

Acceptance rate: 13%

Net price: $24,723

5. California Baptist University in Riverside, California

California Baptist University has 12 dining locations across its Riverside campus, including its tapas-inspired Alumni Dining Commons, fast-food options such as Chick-fil-A, a made-to-order Mexican grill, and cafés serving burgers, sandwiches, salads, smoothies, and coffee.

Overall Niche grade: B+

Average meal plan cost: $7,160 per year

Acceptance rate: 85%

Net price: $27,862

4. St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin

At St. Norbert College, Ruth's Marketplace feels like much more than a typical dining hall, with everything from global dishes and build-your-own sandwiches to pizza, pasta, homestyle favorites, and fresh-baked desserts.

When students want something quicker, they can head to Phil's Grill or Ed's Coffee Shop for burgers, sushi, burrito bowls, smoothies, and sandwiches.

Overall Niche grade: B

Average meal plan cost: $6,230 per year

Acceptance rate: 86%

Net price: $27,880

3. Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia

With 56 different on-campus dining options, there's no shortage of restaurants, grab-and-go spots, or dining halls. The dozens of options span chef-driven concepts, national brands, food courts, two all-you-care-to-eat dining centers, and even food trucks.

Overall Niche grade: A+

Average meal plan cost: $6,419 per year

Acceptance rate: 55%

Net price: $24,912

2. University of Massachusetts Amherst in Amherst, Massachusetts

UMass Amherst takes campus food seriously, with four dining commons, 12 on-campus food stations, 20 cafés, and two food trucks serving everything from late-night snacks to chef-prepared meals.

The school is especially known for its huge variety and its focus on fresh, local, sustainable ingredients.

Overall Niche grade: A

Average meal plan cost: $7,648 per year

Acceptance rate: 60%

Net price: $22,948

1. University of California, Los Angeles in Los Angeles

UCLA's dining program offers four all-you-can-eat, buffet-style restaurants, each with up to 10 entrée choices per meal, plus plenty of café-style spots for a quicker bite.

Students can choose from Mediterranean food, Pan-Asian flavors, Italian dishes, healthy bowls, and food trucks, offering plenty of vegetarian, vegan, kosher, halal, and allergy-friendly options. There are also college-student staples like Carl's Jr., Panda Express, and Taco Bell, perfect for those late-night study sessions.

Overall Niche grade: A+

Acceptance rate: 9%

Net price: $14,512

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