19 Series · SOC 19-4013
Food Science Technicians Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $52,130
- Median / year
- $78,820
- Top 10% earn
- +4.8%
- Growth '23–'33
- 14,600
- US workers
Food Science Technicians earn a median of $52,130 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $52,130, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $39,820 (10th percentile) to $78,820 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 14,600 US workers. Virginia pays the most ($65,360), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Food Science Technicians earn a median of $52,130, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 38% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks #47 of 48 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 4.8% by 2033.
- $52,130
- Median annual wage
- Top 62%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #47 of 48
- in Life, Physical, and Social Science
- 2.0×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Virginia at $65,360. Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.
Food Science Technicians (SOC 19-4013) pays a national median of $52,130 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $39,820 at the 10th percentile to $78,820 at the 90th, with a mean of $56,660 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 14,600 Americans work in this occupation across 39 reporting states and 94 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +4.8% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 3,200 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Associate's degree and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 1.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.7 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Virginia pays the highest state median at $65,360, which is +25% above the national figure. The top metro is Columbus, OH at $86,300 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$52,130
per year
Median Hourly
$25.06/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$56,660
average
Employment
14,600
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Food Science Technicians pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$52,130 Bottom 38% higher than 38% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 19-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Food Science Technicians; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 19-series occupations with growth data, Food Science Technicians sits on the slower-growing side at +4.8% growth and $52,130 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+4.8%
About average
Annual Openings
3,200
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Associate's degree
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
1.5/100K
Injury Rate
0.7/100
Danger Index
3.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Food Science Technicians roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Taste or smell foods or beverages to ensure that flavors meet specifications or to select samples with specific characteristics.
- ▸ Measure, test, or weigh bottles, cans, or other containers to ensure that hardness, strength, or dimensions meet specifications.
- ▸ Maintain records of testing results or other documents as required by state or other governing agencies.
- ▸ Monitor and control temperature of products.
- ▸ Analyze test results to classify products or compare results with standard tables.
- ▸ Record or compile test results or prepare graphs, charts, or reports.
- ▸ Prepare or incubate slides with cell cultures.
- ▸ Perform regular maintenance of laboratory equipment by inspecting, calibrating, cleaning, or sterilizing.
- ▸ Examine chemical or biological samples to identify cell structures or to locate bacteria or extraneous material, using a microscope.
- ▸ Conduct standardized tests on food, beverages, additives, or preservatives to ensure compliance with standards and regulations regarding factors such as color, texture, or nutrients.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$39,820
25th Percentile
$46,020
Median
$52,130
75th Percentile
$63,270
90th Percentile
$78,820
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 39 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $65,360 | +25% above national |
| 2 | Kentucky | $64,770 | +24% above national |
| 3 | Washington | $62,070 | +19% above national |
| 4 | Vermont | $60,980 | +17% above national |
| 5 | Illinois | $60,820 | +17% above national |
| 6 | Missouri | $59,570 | +14% above national |
| 7 | Nevada | $59,070 | +13% above national |
| 8 | Colorado | $58,540 | +12% above national |
| 9 | Florida | $58,500 | +12% above national |
| 10 | Minnesota | $57,940 | +11% above national |
| 11 | Maryland | $57,880 | +11% above national |
| 12 | Ohio | $57,060 | +9% above national |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $56,850 | +9% above national |
| 14 | New Jersey | $56,730 | +9% above national |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $55,690 | +7% above national |
| 16 | New York | $55,470 | +6% above national |
| 17 | California | $54,200 | +4% above national |
| 18 | Georgia | $53,150 | +2% above national |
| 19 | Michigan | $52,130 | same as national |
| 20 | Mississippi | $51,460 | 1% below national |
| 21 | Iowa | $50,740 | 3% below national |
| 22 | Oregon | $50,590 | 3% below national |
| 23 | Connecticut | $49,700 | 5% below national |
| 24 | Idaho | $48,980 | 6% below national |
| 25 | South Dakota | $48,760 | 6% below national |
| 26 | North Carolina | $48,640 | 7% below national |
| 27 | Nebraska | $48,530 | 7% below national |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $48,060 | 8% below national |
| 29 | Texas | $47,760 | 8% below national |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $47,240 | 9% below national |
| 31 | Arkansas | $46,810 | 10% below national |
| 32 | New Mexico | $46,500 | 11% below national |
| 33 | Utah | $45,110 | 13% below national |
| 34 | Indiana | $44,630 | 14% below national |
| 35 | Louisiana | $44,310 | 15% below national |
| 36 | Alabama | $40,940 | 21% below national |
| 37 | Kansas | $39,930 | 23% below national |
| 38 | South Carolina | $39,480 | 24% below national |
| 39 | Puerto Rico | $36,050 | 31% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 94 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus, OH | $86,300 | +66% above national |
| 2 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $84,320 | +62% above national |
| 3 | Jacksonville, FL | $83,030 | +59% above national |
| 4 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $79,850 | +53% above national |
| 5 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $73,030 | +40% above national |
| 6 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $72,950 | +40% above national |
| 7 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $66,630 | +28% above national |
| 8 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $66,230 | +27% above national |
| 9 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $64,620 | +24% above national |
| 10 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $64,480 | +24% above national |
| 11 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $63,160 | +21% above national |
| 12 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $63,020 | +21% above national |
| 13 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $61,870 | +19% above national |
| 14 | Napa, CA | $61,430 | +18% above national |
| 15 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $61,410 | +18% above national |
| 16 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $60,980 | +17% above national |
| 17 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $60,320 | +16% above national |
| 18 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $60,260 | +16% above national |
| 19 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $60,020 | +15% above national |
| 20 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $59,650 | +14% above national |
| 21 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $59,580 | +14% above national |
| 22 | Reno, NV | $59,440 | +14% above national |
| 23 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $58,850 | +13% above national |
| 24 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $58,700 | +13% above national |
| 25 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $58,640 | +12% above national |
| 26 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $58,290 | +12% above national |
| 27 | Vallejo, CA | $57,630 | +11% above national |
| 28 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $56,440 | +8% above national |
| 29 | Modesto, CA | $56,220 | +8% above national |
| 30 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $56,070 | +8% above national |
| 31 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $55,090 | +6% above national |
| 32 | Rochester, NY | $54,970 | +5% above national |
| 33 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $54,570 | +5% above national |
| 34 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $54,410 | +4% above national |
| 35 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $54,330 | +4% above national |
| 36 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $53,960 | +4% above national |
| 37 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $53,850 | +3% above national |
| 38 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $53,530 | +3% above national |
| 39 | Rochester, MN | $53,210 | +2% above national |
| 40 | Lancaster, PA | $53,130 | +2% above national |
| 41 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $52,970 | +2% above national |
| 42 | Salinas, CA | $52,870 | +1% above national |
| 43 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $52,690 | +1% above national |
| 44 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $52,180 | same as national |
| 45 | Omaha, NE-IA | $52,160 | same as national |
| 46 | Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $52,130 | same as national |
| 47 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $51,570 | 1% below national |
| 48 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $51,550 | 1% below national |
| 49 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $51,540 | 1% below national |
| 50 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $51,510 | 1% below national |
| 51 | Chico, CA | $51,390 | 1% below national |
| 52 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $50,900 | 2% below national |
| 53 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $50,890 | 2% below national |
| 54 | Merced, CA | $50,750 | 3% below national |
| 55 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $50,710 | 3% below national |
| 56 | Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $50,590 | 3% below national |
| 57 | Vineland, NJ | $50,400 | 3% below national |
| 58 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $50,390 | 3% below national |
| 59 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $50,350 | 3% below national |
| 60 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $50,310 | 3% below national |
| 61 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $49,990 | 4% below national |
| 62 | Boise City, ID | $49,930 | 4% below national |
| 63 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $49,790 | 4% below national |
| 64 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $49,680 | 5% below national |
| 65 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $49,650 | 5% below national |
| 66 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $49,610 | 5% below national |
| 67 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $49,460 | 5% below national |
| 68 | Twin Falls, ID | $49,460 | 5% below national |
| 69 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $49,280 | 5% below national |
| 70 | Visalia, CA | $49,270 | 5% below national |
| 71 | Pittsburgh, PA | $48,970 | 6% below national |
| 72 | Appleton, WI | $48,960 | 6% below national |
| 73 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $48,820 | 6% below national |
| 74 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $48,770 | 6% below national |
| 75 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $48,760 | 6% below national |
| 76 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $48,550 | 7% below national |
| 77 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $48,480 | 7% below national |
| 78 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $48,100 | 8% below national |
| 79 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $48,060 | 8% below national |
| 80 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $48,040 | 8% below national |
| 81 | Madison, WI | $47,740 | 8% below national |
| 82 | Yakima, WA | $47,590 | 9% below national |
| 83 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $46,710 | 10% below national |
| 84 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $46,500 | 11% below national |
| 85 | Fresno, CA | $46,350 | 11% below national |
| 86 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $45,860 | 12% below national |
| 87 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $45,830 | 12% below national |
| 88 | Salem, OR | $45,200 | 13% below national |
| 89 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $44,900 | 14% below national |
| 90 | Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $44,740 | 14% below national |
| 91 | York-Hanover, PA | $44,720 | 14% below national |
| 92 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $44,550 | 15% below national |
| 93 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $43,710 | 16% below national |
| 94 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $36,060 | 31% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 19 (life physical and social science) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Food Science Technicians make? ▼
What state pays Food Science Technicians the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Food Science Technicians? ▼
How dangerous is being a Food Science Technicians? ▼
Is Food Science Technicians a good career? ▼
How does Food Science Technicians pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Food Science Technicians? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Food Science Technicians pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $63,270/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Virginia leads at $65,360/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.