Food Science and Technology degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in food science and technology earn a median $70,537 four years after finishing, across 29 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in food science earn $68,022, $5,973 more than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is agricultural and food scientists (10%).
Median across 29 colleges; middle half $64,225–$75,601.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $43,993–$91,651. 382 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Food Science"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$32,384/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs food science and technology graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in food science actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural And Food Scientists | 10% | $81,970 | +6.4% | — | — |
| Other Managers | 5% | — | — | — | — |
| First-Line Supervisors Of Production And Operating Workers | 5% | $74,450 | +1.8% | High school diploma or equivalent | ECR |
| Food Service Managers | 3% | $69,390 | +5.8% | High school diploma or equivalent | ECR |
| Compliance Officers | 3% | $80,730 | +3.8% | Bachelor's degree | CE |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale And Manufacturing | 3% | $76,460 | — | — | — |
| Dietitians And Nutritionists | 3% | $76,400 | +7.7% | Bachelor's degree | SI |
| Human Resources Workers | 2% | $76,700 | +6.1% | — | — |
These 8 jobs account for 34% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Food Science and Technology earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| California | $73,018 (4) | — |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where food science and technology graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 3 in Florida, 1 in Virginia, 5 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVA | $80,161 | $26,875 |
| 2 | California State Polytechnic University-PomonaCA | $75,601 | $17,498 |
| 3 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCA | $75,466 | $20,654 |
| 4 | University of California-DavisCA | $70,571 | $14,750 |
| 5 | California State University-FresnoCA | $64,225 | $16,500 |
| 6 | University of FloridaFL | $64,078 | — |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Food Science and Technology degree questions
How much do Food Science and Technology graduates make?
Food Science and Technology graduates earn a median $70,537 four years after finishing, across 29 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $64,225 to $75,601; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in food science, the median is $68,022 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Food Science and Technology degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in food science earn a median $68,022: $5,973 more than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $32,384 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Food Science and Technology graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in food science, the most common jobs are agricultural and food scientists (10%), other managers (5%), first-line supervisors of production and operating workers (5%). Agricultural And Food Scientists earn a U.S. median $81,970.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Food Science and Technology degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/food-science-and-technology.