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.
Food Scientists and Technologists earn a median of $42.65/hr — about $88,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $25.44/hr; the top 10% earn $69.85/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- 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.
- Develop new or improved ways of preserving, processing, packaging, storing, and delivering foods, using knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, and other sciences.
- Test new products for flavor, texture, color, nutritional content, and adherence to government and industry standards.
- Stay up to date on new regulations and current events regarding food science by reviewing scientific literature.
- Evaluate food processing and storage operations and assist in the development of quality assurance programs for such operations.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
The feel of the work
The work splits time indoors and out. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 3.3% of food scientists and technologists are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are analytical, hands-on and organized and detail-focused.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
- Urban and Regional Planners
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
- Chemists
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
- School Psychologists
- Biological Scientists, All Other
Quick questions
- How much does a food scientists and technologist make?
- The median pay is $42.65 per hour — roughly $88,500 a year, with the real range running from about $25.44/hr (10th percentile) to $69.85/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a food scientists and technologist?
- The typical entry-level education is: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation level: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
- What does a food scientists and technologist actually do all day?
- 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. Develop new or improved ways of preserving, processing, packaging, storing, and delivering foods, using knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, and other sciences.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.