Food scientists and technologists
SOC Code: 19-1012Also known as:
Corporate Food Scientist, Crop Advisor, Dairy Bacteriologist, Enologist, Fermentation Scientist
Median Annual Salary
$85,310
+6.5% growth (2024-2034)
1K
Openings/Year
15K
Current Jobs
What Food scientists and technologists Do
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.
💰 Salary
$85,310
Median annual wage (2024)
📈 Job Growth
+6.5%
Faster than average
🎓 Education
Bachelor's degree
Typical entry-level requirement
🚀 Annual Openings
1K
Projected average per year
Employment Projections (2024-2034)
Current Employment (2024)
15,200
Projected Employment (2034)
16,200
Related Careers
Animal scientists
$79,120 •
+5.8% growth
Microbiologists
$87,330 •
+4.1% growth
Agricultural technicians
$46,790 •
+4.3% growth
Food science technicians
$49,430 •
+4.8% growth
Top Skills Required
Reading Comprehension
Critical Thinking
Active Learning
Active Listening
Writing
Daily Tasks & Responsibilities
- Inspect food processing areas to ensure compliance with government regulations and standards for sanitation, safety, quality, and waste management.
- Check raw ingredients for maturity or stability for processing, and finished products for safety, quality, and nutritional value.
- Study methods to improve aspects of foods, such as chemical composition, flavor, color, texture, nutritional value, and convenience.
- Develop food standards and production specifications, safety and sanitary regulations, and waste management and water supply specifications.
- Stay up to date on new regulations and current events regarding food science by reviewing scientific literature.
- Study the structure and composition of food or the changes foods undergo in storage and processing.
- Confer with process engineers, plant operators, flavor experts, and packaging and marketing specialists to resolve problems in product development.
- Test new products for flavor, texture, color, nutritional content, and adherence to government and industry standards.
- Develop new food items for production, based on consumer feedback.
- Develop new or improved ways of preserving, processing, packaging, storing, and delivering foods, using knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, and other sciences.
Technology & Tools
📚 Entry-Level Education
Bachelor's degree
Most common requirement
🎯 Recommended Education
Bachelor's Degree
O*NET recommended level
Degree Programs for Food scientists and technologists
These degree programs can prepare you for a career as a food scientists and technologists:
Agriculture, General
3,276 degrees awarded •
151 colleges offer this program
Food Science
1,581 degrees awarded •
66 colleges offer this program
Culinary Science/Culinology
301 degrees awarded •
10 colleges offer this program
Viticulture and Enology
268 degrees awarded •
26 colleges offer this program
International Agriculture
207 degrees awarded •
10 colleges offer this program
Food Science and Technology, Other
132 degrees awarded •
15 colleges offer this program
Brewing Science
118 degrees awarded •
17 colleges offer this program
Food Technology and Processing
96 degrees awarded •
22 colleges offer this program
Zymology/Fermentation Science
74 degrees awarded •
4 colleges offer this program
Best Colleges for Becoming a Food scientists and technologists
Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees in related programs. These are the top-rated colleges that prepare students to become food scientists and technologists.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much do food scientists and technologists make?
The median annual salary for food scientists and technologists is $85,310.
What education do food scientists and technologists need?
Most food scientists and technologists positions require a bachelor's degree.
Common degree programs include Agriculture, General, Food Science, Culinary Science/Culinology.
Is becoming food scientists and technologists a good career choice?
Food scientists and technologists is projected to see +6.5% job growth from 2024 to 2034,
which is faster than average for all occupations. With approximately 1,200 job openings expected annually,
there are good opportunities for those entering the field.
What are the best colleges for food scientists and technologists?
Top colleges for aspiring food scientists and technologists include
Cornell University, University of Georgia, University of Florida, Harvard University, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo.
These schools are ranked based on their Repit grade and the number of graduates in related programs.
What other job titles are similar to food scientists and technologists?
Food scientists and technologists may also be known as: Corporate Food Scientist, Crop Advisor, Dairy Bacteriologist, Enologist, Fermentation Scientist, Flavorist, Food and Drug Research Scientist, Food Engineer, Food Preservation Scientist, Food Processing Scientist, Food Safety Auditor, Food Safety Regulatory Manager, Food Safety Scientist, Food Scientist, Food Technologist, Formulator, Hybrid Corn Breeder, Hybrid Technologist, Product Development Scientist, QC Scientist (Quality Control Scientist).
These titles often refer to similar roles with varying responsibilities or specializations.