Food Science Technicians Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for food science technicianss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $56,660 ≈ $27/hr
National median salary $52,130
Total employment 14,600 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +4.8%
Faster than average
Annual openings 3,200 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 20,400 → 21,300 (+1,000)
Typical entry education Associate's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Illinois$68,480
- Kentucky$66,530
- Virginia$65,500
- Washington$65,120
- Colorado$63,140
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Alabama$43,710
- Louisiana$44,450
- New Mexico$44,720
- South Carolina$44,950
- Oklahoma$45,750
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $68,480 | $60,820 | $33 | +20.9% | 290 |
| 2 | Kentucky | $66,530 | $64,770 | $32 | +17.4% | 160 |
| 3 | Virginia | $65,500 | $65,360 | $31 | +15.6% | 150 |
| 4 | Washington | $65,120 | $62,070 | $31 | +14.9% | 660 |
| 5 | Colorado | $63,140 | $58,540 | $30 | +11.4% | 270 |
| 6 | Florida | $62,250 | $58,500 | $30 | +9.9% | 250 |
| 7 | Ohio | $62,220 | $57,060 | $30 | +9.8% | 230 |
| 8 | Missouri | $62,180 | $59,570 | $30 | +9.7% | 150 |
| 9 | Maryland | $60,600 | $57,880 | $29 | +7% | 280 |
| 10 | Nevada | $58,820 | $59,070 | $28 | +3.8% | 110 |
| 11 | New York | $58,580 | $55,470 | $28 | +3.4% | 580 |
| 12 | Georgia | $57,520 | $53,150 | $28 | +1.5% | 260 |
| 13 | Vermont | $57,200 | $60,980 | $28 | +1% | 50 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $57,030 | $56,730 | $27 | +0.7% | 590 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $56,950 | $57,940 | $27 | +0.5% | 380 |
| 16 | California | $56,850 | $54,200 | $27 | +0.3% | 3,990 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $56,530 | $56,850 | $27 | -0.2% | 260 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $55,970 | $55,690 | $27 | -1.2% | 540 |
| 19 | Michigan | $54,970 | $52,130 | $26 | -3% | 250 |
| 20 | Mississippi | $54,180 | $51,460 | $26 | -4.4% | 50 |
| 21 | Iowa | $52,870 | $50,740 | $25 | -6.7% | 420 |
| 22 | Connecticut | $52,200 | $49,700 | $25 | -7.9% | — |
| 23 | Arkansas | $52,070 | $46,810 | $25 | -8.1% | 140 |
| 24 | Oregon | $51,980 | $50,590 | $25 | -8.3% | 820 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $51,780 | $48,530 | $25 | -8.6% | 170 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $51,740 | $48,640 | $25 | -8.7% | 130 |
| 27 | Utah | $51,700 | $45,110 | $25 | -8.8% | 80 |
| 28 | Indiana | $51,600 | $44,630 | $25 | -8.9% | 530 |
| 29 | Texas | $51,400 | $47,760 | $25 | -9.3% | 900 |
| 30 | Idaho | $50,640 | $48,980 | $24 | -10.6% | 560 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $49,820 | $48,060 | $24 | -12.1% | 590 |
| 32 | Kansas | $47,360 | $39,930 | $23 | -16.4% | 60 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $46,220 | $48,760 | $22 | -18.4% | 100 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $45,750 | $47,240 | $22 | -19.3% | 50 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $44,950 | $39,480 | $22 | -20.7% | 40 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $44,720 | $46,500 | $22 | -21.1% | 120 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $44,450 | $44,310 | $21 | -21.5% | 30 |
| 38 | Alabama | $43,710 | $40,940 | $21 | -22.9% | 30 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 93 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus, OH | $86,300 | $78,750 | 40 |
| 2 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $84,320 | $76,400 | 60 |
| 3 | Jacksonville, FL | $83,030 | $77,640 | 50 |
| 4 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $79,850 | $72,940 | 420 |
| 5 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $73,030 | $62,480 | 60 |
| 6 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $72,950 | $70,550 | 40 |
| 7 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $66,630 | $71,440 | 250 |
| 8 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $66,230 | $67,050 | 100 |
| 9 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $64,620 | $66,920 | 200 |
| 10 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $64,480 | $63,960 | 80 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing food science technicianss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) | $82,920 | $86,900 | — |
| 2 | Scientific Research and Development Services | $76,120 | $92,790 | 270 |
| 3 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $74,580 | $71,090 | 660 |
| 4 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $74,580 | $71,090 | 660 |
| 5 | Sector 55 - Management of Companies and Enterprises | $74,580 | $71,090 | 660 |
| 6 | Warehousing and Storage | $67,530 | $69,210 | 120 |
| 7 | Warehousing and Storage | $67,530 | $69,210 | 120 |
| 8 | Sectors 48 and 49 - Transportation and Warehousing | $67,530 | $69,210 | 120 |
| 9 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $67,170 | $65,610 | 150 |
| 10 | Beverage Manufacturing | $63,350 | $66,270 | 1,430 |
| 11 | Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | $63,270 | $66,260 | 1,430 |
| 12 | Employment Services | $60,020 | $54,390 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do food science technicians make in the U.S.?
The median food science technicians salary in the United States is $52,130 per year (mean $56,660), and about 80% earn between $39,820 and $78,820.
How much do food science technicians make per hour?
Roughly $27 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $56,660 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays food science technicians the most?
Illinois has the highest average pay for food science technicians at $68,480 per year (median $60,820).
What is the job outlook for food science technicians?
Employment is projected to change +4.8% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 3,200 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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