Food Science Technicians
Food Science Technicians (SOC 19-4013) earn a median $52,130 a year ($25.06 an hour) in the United States, with 14,600 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Virginia.
What food science technicians do
Food science technicians work with food scientists and technologists to test the physical and chemical properties of food and beverage products. They run standardized qualitative and quantitative tests, and some assist in research and development of production technology. Typical tasks include tasting or smelling foods and beverages to verify that flavors meet specifications or to select samples, measuring, testing, or weighing bottles, cans, and other containers to make sure hardness, strength, and dimensions meet requirements, and monitoring and controlling product temperatures during processing. They keep records of test results and other documents that state or other government rules require. The occupation differs from food scientists and technologists, who design the products and set the standards, from food batchmakers and other production workers who make the food, and from chemical technicians, who test a broader range of materials. Analyzing test results to classify products or compare them with standard tables, and inspecting, calibrating, cleaning, or sterilizing laboratory equipment, are also part of the job.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Beer Brewer, Biotechnician, Butter Fat Tester, Central Laboratory Technician (CLT), Cheese Tester.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $19.14 | $22.12 | $25.06 | $30.42 | $37.89 | $27.24 | 14,600 |
| Annual | $39,820 | $46,020 | $52,130 | $63,270 | $78,820 | $56,660 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where food science technicians earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $22.72 | $29.08 | $31.42 | $35.07 | $37.84 | $31.49 | 150 | 0.04 | 0.39 |
| Annual | $47,250 | $60,490 | $65,360 | $72,950 | $78,700 | $65,500 | ||||
| Kentucky | Hourly | $20.28 | $25.31 | $31.14 | $38.70 | $40.58 | $31.99 | 160 | 0.08 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $42,170 | $52,640 | $64,770 | $80,490 | $84,410 | $66,530 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $22.08 | $23.44 | $29.84 | $38.39 | $38.39 | $31.31 | 660 | 0.19 | 1.98 |
| Annual | $45,930 | $48,740 | $62,070 | $79,850 | $79,850 | $65,120 | ||||
| Vermont | Hourly | $22.41 | $23.73 | $29.32 | $29.33 | $34.26 | $27.50 | 50 | 0.17 | 1.84 |
| Annual | $46,620 | $49,360 | $60,980 | $61,000 | $71,270 | $57,200 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $22.53 | $24.39 | $29.24 | $38.98 | $50.13 | $32.92 | 290 | 0.05 | 0.51 |
| Annual | $46,860 | $50,730 | $60,820 | $81,090 | $104,280 | $68,480 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $19.61 | $22.64 | $26.06 | $30.82 | $36.70 | $27.33 | 3,990 | 0.22 | 2.34 |
| Annual | $40,790 | $47,080 | $54,200 | $64,100 | $76,330 | $56,850 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.81 | $19.25 | $22.96 | $27.46 | $36.60 | $24.71 | 900 | 0.06 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $37,040 | $40,040 | $47,760 | $57,120 | $76,130 | $51,400 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $19.76 | $22.11 | $24.32 | $27.66 | $30.42 | $24.99 | 820 | 0.42 | 4.45 |
| Annual | $41,090 | $45,980 | $50,590 | $57,530 | $63,260 | $51,980 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $22.08 | $23.44 | $29.84 | $38.39 | $38.39 | $31.31 | 660 | 0.19 | 1.98 |
| Annual | $45,930 | $48,740 | $62,070 | $79,850 | $79,850 | $65,120 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $18.71 | $21.41 | $27.28 | $31.30 | $37.23 | $27.42 | 590 | 0.14 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $38,920 | $44,520 | $56,730 | $65,110 | $77,450 | $57,030 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Columbus, OH | Hourly | $25.79 | $34.71 | $41.49 | $41.49 | $41.49 | $37.86 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.35 |
| Annual | $53,650 | $72,210 | $86,300 | $86,300 | $86,300 | $78,750 | ||||
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | Hourly | $25.83 | $32.96 | $40.54 | $40.57 | $41.51 | $36.73 | 60 | 0.08 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $53,730 | $68,550 | $84,320 | $84,390 | $86,340 | $76,400 | ||||
| Jacksonville, FL | Hourly | $19.88 | $32.51 | $39.92 | $39.92 | $49.57 | $37.33 | 50 | 0.07 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $41,340 | $67,610 | $83,030 | $83,030 | $103,110 | $77,640 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $23.08 | $29.84 | $38.39 | $38.39 | $38.39 | $35.07 | 420 | 0.20 | 2.16 |
| Annual | $48,000 | $62,070 | $79,850 | $79,850 | $79,850 | $72,940 | ||||
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | Hourly | $23.20 | $24.95 | $35.11 | $35.11 | $35.11 | $30.04 | 60 | 0.07 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $48,260 | $51,900 | $73,030 | $73,030 | $73,030 | $62,480 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $19.01 | $23.09 | $26.16 | $30.48 | $36.53 | $27.36 | 970 | 0.16 | 1.65 |
| Annual | $39,540 | $48,030 | $54,410 | $63,400 | $75,990 | $56,900 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $18.71 | $22.78 | $28.86 | $32.52 | $37.23 | $29.32 | 580 | 0.06 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $38,920 | $47,370 | $60,020 | $67,640 | $77,450 | $60,990 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $23.08 | $29.84 | $38.39 | $38.39 | $38.39 | $35.07 | 420 | 0.20 | 2.16 |
| Annual | $48,000 | $62,070 | $79,850 | $79,850 | $79,850 | $72,940 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | $19.00 | $22.78 | $24.47 | $29.60 | $34.80 | $26.41 | 390 | 0.23 | 2.41 |
| Annual | $39,510 | $47,380 | $50,900 | $61,560 | $72,390 | $54,930 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $18.45 | $20.10 | $23.78 | $26.02 | $35.12 | $24.66 | 350 | 0.09 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $38,370 | $41,810 | $49,460 | $54,120 | $73,050 | $51,300 | ||||
Top industries employing food science technicians
Dairy Product Manufacturing employ 14.8% of food science technicians nationally (2,160 jobs) at a median $55,380 a year ($26.62 an hour), followed by Other Food Manufacturing (12.8%) and Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (11.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dairy Product Manufacturing NAICS 311500 | 2,160 | 14.8% | $55,380 | $26.62 |
| Other Food Manufacturing NAICS 311900 | 1,870 | 12.8% | $54,480 | $26.19 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing NAICS 311400 | 1,700 | 11.6% | $49,050 | $23.58 |
| Beverage Manufacturing NAICS 312100 | 1,430 | 9.8% | $63,350 | $30.46 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing NAICS 311600 | 1,400 | 9.6% | $47,760 | $22.96 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (14,600). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $46,590 for food science technicians in May 2021 and $52,130 in May 2025, with employment of 11,530 and 14,600.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $46,590 | $22.40 | 11,530 |
| May 2022 | $47,860 | $23.01 | 14,350 |
| May 2023 | $49,090 | $23.60 | 15,190 |
| May 2024 | $49,430 | $23.76 | 14,200 |
| May 2025 | $52,130 | $25.06 | 14,600 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
38 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia profile | $31.42 | $65,360 | $47,250 | $78,700 | 150 | 0.04 | 0.39 |
| 2 | Kentucky profile | $31.14 | $64,770 | $42,170 | $84,410 | 160 | 0.08 | 0.87 |
| 3 | Washington profile | $29.84 | $62,070 | $45,930 | $79,850 | 660 | 0.19 | 1.98 |
| 4 | Vermont profile | $29.32 | $60,980 | $46,620 | $71,270 | 50 | 0.17 | 1.84 |
| 5 | Illinois profile | $29.24 | $60,820 | $46,860 | $104,280 | 290 | 0.05 | 0.51 |
| 6 | Missouri profile | $28.64 | $59,570 | $41,430 | $83,570 | 150 | 0.05 | 0.54 |
| 7 | Nevada profile | $28.40 | $59,070 | $47,220 | $66,590 | 110 | 0.07 | 0.72 |
| 8 | Colorado profile | $28.14 | $58,540 | $52,340 | $82,140 | 270 | 0.10 | 1.02 |
| 9 | Florida profile | $28.13 | $58,500 | $37,620 | $91,820 | 250 | 0.03 | 0.26 |
| 10 | Minnesota profile | $27.86 | $57,940 | $42,010 | $74,270 | 380 | 0.13 | 1.36 |
| 11 | Maryland profile | $27.83 | $57,880 | $46,320 | $77,520 | 280 | 0.10 | 1.07 |
| 12 | Ohio profile | $27.43 | $57,060 | $41,000 | $86,300 | 230 | 0.04 | 0.43 |
| 13 | Massachusetts profile | $27.33 | $56,850 | $44,900 | $73,300 | 260 | 0.07 | 0.75 |
| 14 | New Jersey profile | $27.28 | $56,730 | $38,920 | $77,450 | 590 | 0.14 | 1.48 |
| 15 | Wisconsin profile | $26.77 | $55,690 | $40,600 | $73,030 | 540 | 0.18 | 1.96 |
| 16 | New York profile | $26.67 | $55,470 | $44,270 | $75,080 | 580 | 0.06 | 0.64 |
| 17 | California profile | $26.06 | $54,200 | $40,790 | $76,330 | 3,990 | 0.22 | 2.34 |
| 18 | Georgia profile | $25.55 | $53,150 | $33,040 | $80,620 | 260 | 0.05 | 0.56 |
| 19 | Michigan profile | $25.06 | $52,130 | $39,290 | $68,610 | 250 | 0.06 | 0.59 |
| 20 | Mississippi profile | $24.74 | $51,460 | $35,930 | $78,520 | 50 | 0.05 | 0.49 |
| 21 | Iowa profile | $24.40 | $50,740 | $40,200 | $66,370 | 420 | 0.27 | 2.86 |
| 22 | Oregon profile | $24.32 | $50,590 | $41,090 | $63,260 | 820 | 0.42 | 4.45 |
| 23 | Connecticut profile | $23.89 | $49,700 | $36,930 | $61,150 | ** | ** | ** |
| 24 | Idaho profile | $23.55 | $48,980 | $37,980 | $65,580 | 560 | 0.66 | 7.00 |
| 25 | South Dakota profile | $23.44 | $48,760 | $33,790 | $54,440 | 100 | 0.21 | 2.23 |
| 26 | North Carolina profile | $23.39 | $48,640 | $39,740 | $63,280 | 130 | 0.03 | 0.28 |
| 27 | Nebraska profile | $23.33 | $48,530 | $44,840 | $59,670 | 170 | 0.17 | 1.77 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania profile | $23.11 | $48,060 | $37,590 | $62,200 | 590 | 0.10 | 1.04 |
| 29 | Texas profile | $22.96 | $47,760 | $37,040 | $76,130 | 900 | 0.06 | 0.68 |
| 30 | Oklahoma profile | $22.71 | $47,240 | $38,120 | $52,690 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.29 |
| 31 | Arkansas profile | $22.50 | $46,810 | $42,600 | $69,120 | 140 | 0.11 | 1.12 |
| 32 | New Mexico profile | $22.36 | $46,500 | $35,960 | $51,480 | 120 | 0.13 | 1.42 |
| 33 | Utah profile | $21.69 | $45,110 | $41,240 | $84,930 | 80 | 0.05 | 0.51 |
| 34 | Indiana profile | $21.46 | $44,630 | $40,410 | $68,550 | 530 | 0.17 | 1.78 |
| 35 | Louisiana profile | $21.30 | $44,310 | $35,280 | $63,230 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.17 |
| 36 | Alabama profile | $19.68 | $40,940 | $38,530 | $62,060 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.16 |
| 37 | Kansas profile | $19.20 | $39,930 | $33,390 | $71,320 | 60 | 0.04 | 0.41 |
| 38 | South Carolina profile | $18.98 | $39,480 | $36,270 | $60,040 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.19 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (19-4010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 19-4013 Food Science Technicians.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 19-4013, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 19-4013.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.