SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Use chemistry, microbiology, engineering, and other sciences to study the principles underlying the processing and deterioration of foods; analyze food content to determine levels of vitamins, fat, sugar, and protein; discover new food sources; research ways to make processed foods safe, palatable, and healthful; and apply food science knowledge to determine best ways to process, package, preserve, store, and distribute food.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 19-1012.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $52,920 | $4,410 | $1,018 | $25.44 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $68,810 | $5,734 | $1,323 | $33.08 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $88,720 | $7,393 | $1,706 | $42.65 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $116,650 | $9,721 | $2,243 | $56.08 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $145,280 | $12,107 | $2,794 | $69.85 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Food Scientists and Technologists is $88,720, which is 74% higher. Among the 48 occupations of the field Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks number 25 by median pay. With 13,060 jobs, it makes up about 0.8 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Food Scientists and Technologists pay by state
The highest median pay was in South Carolina ($108,660), Missouri ($105,930) and New Jersey ($104,340). The lowest was in Montana ($52,230), Indiana ($69,350) and South Dakota ($71,330). The most jobs were in California (2,210), Texas (840) and Illinois (780). The occupation is most concentrated in Kansas, where its share of all jobs is 3.2 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 90 | $108,660 | $111,910 | $52.24 |
| Missouri | 390 | $105,930 | $103,780 | $50.93 |
| New Jersey | 630 | $104,340 | $112,340 | $50.16 |
| Massachusetts | 420 | $103,580 | $116,780 | $49.80 |
| Florida | 170 | $101,160 | $101,960 | $48.64 |
| Colorado | 320 | $99,580 | $104,170 | $47.87 |
| Minnesota | 670 | $99,280 | $103,960 | $47.73 |
| Kentucky | 170 | $98,710 | $96,080 | $47.46 |
| Alabama | 60 | $97,480 | $96,280 | $46.87 |
| Washington | 250 | $94,990 | $101,900 | $45.67 |
| Illinois | 780 | $94,340 | $103,030 | $45.35 |
| New York | 660 | $94,070 | $96,840 | $45.23 |
| California | 2,210 | $93,950 | $97,980 | $45.17 |
| Virginia | 70 | $93,590 | $100,340 | $44.99 |
| Maryland | 270 | $93,330 | $100,610 | $44.87 |
| Texas | 840 | $90,610 | $90,910 | $43.56 |
| Arizona | not published | $90,450 | $89,580 | $43.49 |
| Maine | 30 | $89,480 | $88,090 | $43.02 |
| Rhode Island | 40 | $87,970 | $85,530 | $42.29 |
| Georgia | 560 | $86,050 | $88,710 | $41.37 |
| Kansas | 380 | $85,130 | $93,910 | $40.93 |
| Oklahoma | 50 | $84,750 | $90,900 | $40.74 |
| Arkansas | 310 | $84,330 | $98,310 | $40.54 |
| Pennsylvania | 400 | $83,380 | $86,640 | $40.09 |
| Wisconsin | 410 | $83,020 | $89,380 | $39.91 |
| Iowa | 380 | $82,010 | $82,570 | $39.43 |
| Tennessee | 70 | $81,760 | $84,820 | $39.31 |
| Oregon | 270 | $81,660 | $84,820 | $39.26 |
| Nevada | 50 | $80,580 | $82,220 | $38.74 |
| North Carolina | 230 | $79,840 | $86,800 | $38.38 |
| New Mexico | 30 | $79,130 | $76,070 | $38.04 |
| Idaho | 140 | $77,440 | $74,680 | $37.23 |
| Michigan | 430 | $76,940 | $85,700 | $36.99 |
| Ohio | 270 | $76,780 | $78,810 | $36.92 |
| Utah | 120 | $73,280 | $87,460 | $35.23 |
| Nebraska | 230 | $72,230 | $81,210 | $34.72 |
| South Dakota | 90 | $71,330 | $87,850 | $34.29 |
| Indiana | 300 | $69,350 | $72,490 | $33.34 |
| Montana | 30 | $52,230 | $57,790 | $25.11 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Chemists$91,240 a year
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$90,150 a year
- Urban and Regional Planners$89,320 a year
- Microbiologists$87,990 a year
- Epidemiologists$87,220 a year
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$82,220 a year
Common questions
How much do Food Scientists and Technologists earn in the United States?
The median pay was $88,720 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $52,920 and the highest-paid 10% more than $145,280.
How many people work as Food Scientists and Technologists?
About 13,060 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.