Food Scientists and Technologists
Food Scientists and Technologists earn an average annual salary of $94,315, making it one of the higher-paying occupations. While facing some shifts, the field is adapting to changes in the job market. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Cross-industry, Private Ownership only.
Key Statistics
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Food Scientists and Technologists workforce.
Employment Over Time
2,350 Workforce in 2023
The Food Scientists and Technologists workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Food Scientists and Technologists.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$94,315 Average Wage
In 2023, Food Scientists and Technologists earned an average of $94,315.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Food Scientists and Technologists.
Salary distribution for Food Scientists and Technologists.
Employment Growth Projections
7.6% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
13,161 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 44.3%
18,992 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 108.3%
This occupation is projected to grow at 7.6% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Food Scientists and Technologists.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Food Scientists and Technologists and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Food Scientists and Technologists employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Food Scientists and Technologists.
Wage Trends by Industry
2.9% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Food Scientists and Technologists.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Food Scientists and Technologists.
Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 2,120 employees, $93,987 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Food Scientists and Technologists.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 460 employees, $95,803 avg wage
- Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 240 employees, $113,328 avg wage
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 160 employees, $91,439 avg wage
- Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 160 employees, $88,855 avg wage
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 120 employees, $93,781 avg wage
- San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 120 employees, $113,347 avg wage
- Fresno MSA: 110 employees, $77,151 avg wage
- Napa MSA: 100 employees, $81,661 avg wage
- Modesto MSA: 90 employees, $92,610 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 90 employees, $93,114 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Food Scientists and Technologists.
Diversity
Demographic information on Food Scientists and Technologists in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Food Scientists and Technologists in 2023 was 2,350 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Food Scientists and Technologists.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Food Scientists and Technologists.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Food Scientists and Technologists.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Food Scientists and Technologists in 2023 were Engineering, Biology, Chemistry.
Common majors for Food Scientists and Technologists.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Food Scientists and Technologists workers.
Education level distribution for Food Scientists and Technologists.
Skills
Food Scientists and Technologists need many skills, but most especially Writing, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Complex Problem Solving, Speaking.
Required skills for Food Scientists and Technologists.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Food Scientists and Technologists.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Food Scientists and Technologists include Food Production, Biology, Chemistry, Production and Processing, English Language.
Knowledge areas required for Food Scientists and Technologists.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Food Scientists and Technologists include Problem Sensitivity, Oral Comprehension, Inductive Reasoning, Near Vision, Written Comprehension.
Required abilities for Food Scientists and Technologists.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Food Scientists and Technologists.
Daily Activities
Food Scientists and Technologists spend their time on activities such as Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Documenting/Recording Information, Analyzing Data or Information, Getting Information, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge.
Most important work activities for Food Scientists and Technologists.
About
Food Scientists and Technologists
The average yearly wage for Food Scientists and Technologists was $94,315 in 2023.
SOC Code
19-1012 - Food Scientists and Technologists
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Food Scientists and Technologists reports an average salary of $94,315.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 2,350 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 7.6%, which should inform long-term career planning.
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 Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.