Food Science and Technology
Food Science and Technology graduates earn an average annual wage of $114,838, making it one of the higher-paying degree fields. With 32,580 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Food Science and Technology and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$7,373 Median In-State Public
$43,300 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Food Science and Technology majors are, on average, $7,373 for in-state public colleges, and $43,300 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Food Science and Technology programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
100,000 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Food Science and Technology from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Food Science and Technology.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | 59,099 |
| 2 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | OH | 44,617 |
| 3 | Brigham Young University-Idaho | ID | 42,090 |
| 4 | University of Arizona | AZ | 40,769 |
| 5 | Michigan State University | MI | 40,243 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Food Science and Technology programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego Mesa College | CA | $1,150 |
| 2 | MiraCosta College | CA | $1,152 |
| 3 | Allan Hancock College | CA | $1,156 |
| 4 | Napa Valley College | CA | $1,156 |
| 5 | Las Positas College | CA | $1,168 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Food Science and Technology programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of the Sequoias | CA | $29 |
| 2 | Reedley College | CA | $1,584 |
| 3 | Hartnell College | CA | $2,895 |
| 4 | California State University-Los Angeles | CA | $4,113 |
| 5 | Las Positas College | CA | $4,175 |
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Food Science and Technology programs.
Graduation Rates
63.63% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
62.69% Average Graduation Rate
75 Institutions Reporting
52.00% - 73.45% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Food Science and Technology programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Food Science and Technology graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$114,838 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Food Science and Technology majors is $114,838.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Food Science and Technology majors.
Occupations by Share
32,580 2023 Workforce
The number of Food Science and Technology graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Food Science and Technology by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of Food Science and Technology degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
ROI data is not available for this degree program.
Financial value comparison for Food Science and Technology degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Food Science and Technology in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Food Science and Technology.
Age distribution for Food Science and Technology degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Gender distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Gender distribution of Food Science and Technology degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Race and ethnicity distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Racial and ethnic distribution of Food Science and Technology degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Food Science and Technology are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Food Science and Technology.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Food Science and Technology field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Food Science and Technology majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Food Science and Technology majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Food Science and Technology majors.
About
Food Science and Technology
In 2023, 100,000 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Food Science and Technology.
CIP Code
00.0110 - Food Science and Technology
Insights and Analysis
High Earning Potential: Food Science and Technology graduates earn an average annual wage of $114,838, placing them among the top earners in the workforce. This strong earning potential reflects both the demand for skills in this field and the value employers place on this degree.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.