Food Scientists and Technologists
Food Scientists and Technologists (SOC 19-1012) earn a median $88,720 a year ($42.65 an hour) in the United States, with 13,060 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is South Carolina.
What food scientists and technologists do
Food scientists and technologists study how foods are made, kept, and spoiled, and they use that knowledge to develop and improve products. Using chemistry, microbiology, engineering, and other sciences, they analyze food for content such as vitamins, fat, sugar, and protein, look for new food sources, and study ways to process, preserve, package, and distribute food safely. Typical tasks include inspecting processing areas to confirm they meet government regulations and sanitary standards, checking raw ingredients for maturity or stability and finished products for quality, and testing ways to improve chemical composition, flavor, color, texture, or nutritional value. They also write food standards and production specifications and develop safety and sanitation rules. The occupation differs from agricultural and food science technicians, who assist with tests under a scientist's direction, from dietitians, who counsel people on nutrition, and from chemical engineers, who design large process plants. They also confer with process engineers, plant operators, flavor experts, and packaging and marketing specialists, and they study the structure and composition of food and the changes it undergoes in storage and processing.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Corporate Food Scientist, Fermentation Scientist, Enologist, Crop Advisor, Dairy Bacteriologist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $25.44 | $33.08 | $42.65 | $56.08 | $69.85 | $45.85 | 13,060 |
| Annual | $52,920 | $68,810 | $88,720 | $116,650 | $145,280 | $95,360 | ||
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 scientists and technologists 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 | ||||||
| South Carolina | Hourly | $19.78 | $33.80 | $52.24 | $73.20 | $78.80 | $53.80 | 90 | 0.04 | 0.46 |
| Annual | $41,140 | $70,310 | $108,660 | $152,250 | $163,900 | $111,910 | ||||
| Missouri | Hourly | $27.60 | $37.80 | $50.93 | $60.91 | $74.30 | $49.89 | 390 | 0.13 | 1.59 |
| Annual | $57,400 | $78,630 | $105,930 | $126,680 | $154,540 | $103,780 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $30.93 | $38.47 | $50.16 | $63.54 | $80.52 | $54.01 | 630 | 0.15 | 1.76 |
| Annual | $64,330 | $80,020 | $104,340 | $132,150 | $167,470 | $112,340 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $33.17 | $42.06 | $49.80 | $72.04 | $88.11 | $56.15 | 420 | 0.12 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $68,990 | $87,480 | $103,580 | $149,830 | $183,260 | $116,780 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $23.12 | $35.28 | $48.64 | $56.84 | $67.06 | $49.02 | 170 | 0.02 | 0.20 |
| Annual | $48,090 | $73,380 | $101,160 | $118,230 | $139,480 | $101,960 | ||||
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 | $28.88 | $35.89 | $45.17 | $57.74 | $67.70 | $47.11 | 2,210 | 0.12 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $60,060 | $74,660 | $93,950 | $120,100 | $140,810 | $97,980 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $22.51 | $30.45 | $43.56 | $51.73 | $65.43 | $43.71 | 840 | 0.06 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $46,810 | $63,330 | $90,610 | $107,610 | $136,100 | $90,910 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $30.64 | $34.84 | $45.35 | $62.26 | $80.13 | $49.53 | 780 | 0.13 | 1.53 |
| Annual | $63,730 | $72,470 | $94,340 | $129,500 | $166,670 | $103,030 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $29.50 | $38.85 | $47.73 | $64.60 | $73.36 | $49.98 | 670 | 0.23 | 2.70 |
| Annual | $61,360 | $80,810 | $99,280 | $134,370 | $152,600 | $103,960 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $28.24 | $36.44 | $45.23 | $54.44 | $66.14 | $46.56 | 660 | 0.07 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $58,740 | $75,790 | $94,070 | $113,220 | $137,570 | $96,840 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $30.77 | $39.12 | $54.50 | $64.50 | $77.26 | $54.48 | 130 | 0.04 | 0.48 |
| Annual | $64,010 | $81,360 | $113,350 | $134,160 | $160,700 | $113,320 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $36.05 | $42.37 | $53.27 | $64.94 | $82.56 | $56.26 | 50 | 0.05 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $74,990 | $88,130 | $110,810 | $135,060 | $171,720 | $117,020 | ||||
| St. Louis, MO-IL | Hourly | $30.53 | $37.81 | $52.02 | $65.33 | $81.38 | $51.70 | 270 | 0.21 | 2.44 |
| Annual | $63,500 | $78,640 | $108,200 | $135,890 | $169,280 | $107,530 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $14.92 | $30.18 | $51.91 | $66.32 | $83.05 | $50.38 | 320 | 0.11 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $31,030 | $62,780 | $107,970 | $137,940 | $172,740 | $104,790 | ||||
| Ann Arbor, MI | Hourly | $31.52 | $41.11 | $50.68 | $53.07 | $64.86 | $48.21 | 40 | 0.20 | 2.34 |
| Annual | $65,560 | $85,510 | $105,420 | $110,390 | $134,910 | $100,270 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $31.01 | $39.03 | $50.10 | $62.92 | $79.72 | $52.98 | 730 | 0.08 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $64,510 | $81,180 | $104,200 | $130,870 | $165,820 | $110,190 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $31.64 | $37.00 | $48.27 | $62.94 | $83.54 | $51.96 | 610 | 0.14 | 1.62 |
| Annual | $65,810 | $76,970 | $100,390 | $130,910 | $173,750 | $108,070 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $30.25 | $34.98 | $43.78 | $56.41 | $68.02 | $46.43 | 550 | 0.09 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $62,920 | $72,760 | $91,060 | $117,340 | $141,480 | $96,580 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $32.08 | $40.08 | $48.92 | $64.60 | $73.36 | $52.86 | 440 | 0.22 | 2.65 |
| Annual | $66,730 | $83,370 | $101,760 | $134,370 | $152,600 | $109,960 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $24.08 | $37.11 | $45.03 | $57.00 | $74.42 | $46.87 | 410 | 0.10 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $50,090 | $77,190 | $93,670 | $118,560 | $154,780 | $97,480 | ||||
Top industries employing food scientists and technologists
Other Food Manufacturing employ 17.2% of food scientists and technologists nationally (2,250 jobs) at a median $95,570 a year ($45.95 an hour), followed by Management of Companies and Enterprises (12.3%) and Scientific Research and Development Services (8.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Food Manufacturing NAICS 311900 | 2,250 | 17.2% | $95,570 | $45.95 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 1,610 | 12.3% | $106,040 | $50.98 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services NAICS 541700 | 1,050 | 8.0% | $108,360 | $52.10 |
| Dairy Product Manufacturing NAICS 311500 | 980 | 7.5% | $77,140 | $37.09 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing NAICS 311600 | 870 | 6.7% | $74,010 | $35.58 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (13,060). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $78,340 for food scientists and technologists in May 2021 and $88,720 in May 2025, with employment of 13,510 and 13,060.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $78,340 | $37.66 | 13,510 |
| May 2022 | $79,860 | $38.39 | 14,720 |
| May 2023 | $82,090 | $39.47 | 14,100 |
| May 2024 | $85,310 | $41.02 | 14,370 |
| May 2025 | $88,720 | $42.65 | 13,060 |
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
39 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 | South Carolina profile | $52.24 | $108,660 | $41,140 | $163,900 | 90 | 0.04 | 0.46 |
| 2 | Missouri profile | $50.93 | $105,930 | $57,400 | $154,540 | 390 | 0.13 | 1.59 |
| 3 | New Jersey profile | $50.16 | $104,340 | $64,330 | $167,470 | 630 | 0.15 | 1.76 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $49.80 | $103,580 | $68,990 | $183,260 | 420 | 0.12 | 1.38 |
| 5 | Florida profile | $48.64 | $101,160 | $48,090 | $139,480 | 170 | 0.02 | 0.20 |
| 6 | Colorado profile | $47.87 | $99,580 | $66,280 | $161,640 | 320 | 0.11 | 1.31 |
| 7 | Minnesota profile | $47.73 | $99,280 | $61,360 | $152,600 | 670 | 0.23 | 2.70 |
| 8 | Kentucky profile | $47.46 | $98,710 | $47,480 | $137,650 | 170 | 0.09 | 1.04 |
| 9 | Alabama profile | $46.87 | $97,480 | $58,510 | $122,790 | 60 | 0.03 | 0.31 |
| 10 | Washington profile | $45.67 | $94,990 | $56,520 | $162,740 | 250 | 0.07 | 0.85 |
| 11 | Illinois profile | $45.35 | $94,340 | $63,730 | $166,670 | 780 | 0.13 | 1.53 |
| 12 | New York profile | $45.23 | $94,070 | $58,740 | $137,570 | 660 | 0.07 | 0.81 |
| 13 | California profile | $45.17 | $93,950 | $60,060 | $140,810 | 2,210 | 0.12 | 1.44 |
| 14 | Virginia profile | $44.99 | $93,590 | $66,000 | $160,700 | 70 | 0.02 | 0.21 |
| 15 | Maryland profile | $44.87 | $93,330 | $59,640 | $145,650 | 270 | 0.10 | 1.18 |
| 16 | Texas profile | $43.56 | $90,610 | $46,810 | $136,100 | 840 | 0.06 | 0.71 |
| 17 | Arizona profile | $43.49 | $90,450 | $55,890 | $134,320 | ** | ** | ** |
| 18 | Maine profile | $43.02 | $89,480 | $56,300 | $122,480 | 30 | 0.05 | 0.58 |
| 19 | Rhode Island profile | $42.29 | $87,970 | $65,580 | $100,590 | 40 | 0.09 | 1.03 |
| 20 | Georgia profile | $41.37 | $86,050 | $31,030 | $151,280 | 560 | 0.12 | 1.38 |
| 21 | Kansas profile | $40.93 | $85,130 | $51,670 | $146,820 | 380 | 0.27 | 3.19 |
| 22 | Oklahoma profile | $40.74 | $84,750 | $63,030 | $127,780 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.32 |
| 23 | Arkansas profile | $40.54 | $84,330 | $49,120 | $165,790 | 310 | 0.24 | 2.82 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania profile | $40.09 | $83,380 | $54,460 | $120,730 | 400 | 0.07 | 0.79 |
| 25 | Wisconsin profile | $39.91 | $83,020 | $57,410 | $131,840 | 410 | 0.14 | 1.67 |
| 26 | Iowa profile | $39.43 | $82,010 | $50,230 | $111,310 | 380 | 0.24 | 2.87 |
| 27 | Tennessee profile | $39.31 | $81,760 | $64,660 | $105,670 | 70 | 0.02 | 0.25 |
| 28 | Oregon profile | $39.26 | $81,660 | $58,390 | $118,250 | 270 | 0.14 | 1.64 |
| 29 | Nevada profile | $38.74 | $80,580 | $52,890 | $106,660 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.37 |
| 30 | North Carolina profile | $38.38 | $79,840 | $49,850 | $138,460 | 230 | 0.05 | 0.56 |
| 31 | New Mexico profile | $38.04 | $79,130 | $53,170 | $100,350 | 30 | 0.04 | 0.44 |
| 32 | Idaho profile | $37.23 | $77,440 | $41,600 | $117,340 | 140 | 0.17 | 1.98 |
| 33 | Michigan profile | $36.99 | $76,940 | $55,620 | $134,910 | 430 | 0.10 | 1.15 |
| 34 | Ohio profile | $36.92 | $76,780 | $46,870 | $121,830 | 270 | 0.05 | 0.59 |
| 35 | Utah profile | $35.23 | $73,280 | $53,200 | $126,410 | 120 | 0.07 | 0.81 |
| 36 | Nebraska profile | $34.72 | $72,230 | $50,710 | $129,740 | 230 | 0.22 | 2.64 |
| 37 | South Dakota profile | $34.29 | $71,330 | $41,990 | $147,530 | 90 | 0.19 | 2.30 |
| 38 | Indiana profile | $33.34 | $69,350 | $44,180 | $108,410 | 300 | 0.09 | 1.12 |
| 39 | Montana profile | $25.11 | $52,230 | $40,070 | $76,250 | 30 | 0.06 | 0.72 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (19-1010), 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 19-1012 Food Scientists and Technologists.
**- 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 19-1012, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 19-1012.00, 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.