Food Scientists and Technologists
Use chemistry, microbiology, engineering, and other sciences to study the principles underlying the processing and deterioration of foods; analyze food content to determine levels of vitamins, fat, sugar, and protein; discover new food sources; research ways to make processed foods safe, palatable, and healthful; and apply food science knowledge to determine best ways to process, package, preserve, store, and distribute food.
Common Job Titles
- Food Scientist
- Food Technologist
- Research Food Technologist
- Research Scientist
Wage Data According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Annual wage data for Food Scientists and Technologists (2024)
Estimated Total Employment (U.S.)
14,370
Wage Distribution by Percentile
Line chart of annual wages by percentile. U.S. is the solid line. 10th percentile: U.S. $49,580. 25th percentile: U.S. $65,240. 50th percentile: U.S. $85,310. 75th percentile: U.S. $111,700. 90th percentile: U.S. $141,860. Use the left and right arrow keys to move between percentiles.
- U.S.
| Metric | U.S. |
|---|---|
| 10% of workers earn the following or less | $49,580 |
| 10% of workers earn the following or more | $141,860 |
| Workers on average earn | $92,190 |
+ indicates wage is at or above the BLS reporting cap ($239,200/year)
Skills & Requirements
Key competencies for this occupation, ranked by importance
- Food Production4.2/5
- Biology4.2/5
- Chemistry4.1/5
- Production and Processing4.0/5
- English Language3.7/5
Tools & Technology
Equipment and software commonly used in this occupation
In-Demand Technology
Frequently requested by employers in job postings
- HubSpot software
- Hypertext markup language HTML
- Marketo Marketing Automation
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- R
- SAP software
- Structured query language SQL
- Tableau
Technology Skills
- BioDiscovery ImaGene
- Image analysis software
- Insightful S-PLUS
- MDS Analytical Technologies GenePix Pro
- Oracle Eloqua
- PathogenTracker
- STATISTICA
- Sensory Computer Systems SIMS
Tools & Equipment
- Air sampling systems
- Amino acid analyzers
- Amylographs
- Anaerobic growth chambers
- Analytical balances
- Atomic absorption AA spectrometers
- Automatic diluters
- Autosamplers