Food Scientists and Technologists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for food scientists and technologistss 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 $95,360 ≈ $46/hr
National median salary $88,720
Total employment 13,060 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +6.5%
Faster than average
Annual openings 1,200 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 15,200 → 16,200 (+1,000)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Massachusetts$116,780
- New Jersey$112,340
- South Carolina$111,910
- Colorado$104,170
- Minnesota$103,960
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Montana$57,790
- Indiana$72,490
- Idaho$74,680
- New Mexico$76,070
- Ohio$78,810
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $116,780 | $103,580 | $56 | +22.5% | 420 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $112,340 | $104,340 | $54 | +17.8% | 630 |
| 3 | South Carolina | $111,910 | $108,660 | $54 | +17.4% | 90 |
| 4 | Colorado | $104,170 | $99,580 | $50 | +9.2% | 320 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $103,960 | $99,280 | $50 | +9% | 670 |
| 6 | Missouri | $103,780 | $105,930 | $50 | +8.8% | 390 |
| 7 | Illinois | $103,030 | $94,340 | $50 | +8% | 780 |
| 8 | Florida | $101,960 | $101,160 | $49 | +6.9% | 170 |
| 9 | Washington | $101,900 | $94,990 | $49 | +6.9% | 250 |
| 10 | Maryland | $100,610 | $93,330 | $48 | +5.5% | 270 |
| 11 | Virginia | $100,340 | $93,590 | $48 | +5.2% | 70 |
| 12 | Arkansas | $98,310 | $84,330 | $47 | +3.1% | 310 |
| 13 | California | $97,980 | $93,950 | $47 | +2.7% | 2,210 |
| 14 | New York | $96,840 | $94,070 | $47 | +1.6% | 660 |
| 15 | Alabama | $96,280 | $97,480 | $46 | +1% | 60 |
| 16 | Kentucky | $96,080 | $98,710 | $46 | +0.8% | 170 |
| 17 | Kansas | $93,910 | $85,130 | $45 | -1.5% | 380 |
| 18 | Texas | $90,910 | $90,610 | $44 | -4.7% | 840 |
| 19 | Oklahoma | $90,900 | $84,750 | $44 | -4.7% | 50 |
| 20 | Arizona | $89,580 | $90,450 | $43 | -6.1% | — |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $89,380 | $83,020 | $43 | -6.3% | 410 |
| 22 | Georgia | $88,710 | $86,050 | $43 | -7% | 560 |
| 23 | Maine | $88,090 | $89,480 | $42 | -7.6% | 30 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $87,850 | $71,330 | $42 | -7.9% | 90 |
| 25 | Utah | $87,460 | $73,280 | $42 | -8.3% | 120 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $86,800 | $79,840 | $42 | -9% | 230 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $86,640 | $83,380 | $42 | -9.1% | 400 |
| 28 | Michigan | $85,700 | $76,940 | $41 | -10.1% | 430 |
| 29 | Rhode Island | $85,530 | $87,970 | $41 | -10.3% | 40 |
| 30 | Oregon | $84,820 | $81,660 | $41 | -11.1% | 270 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $84,820 | $81,760 | $41 | -11.1% | 70 |
| 32 | Iowa | $82,570 | $82,010 | $40 | -13.4% | 380 |
| 33 | Nevada | $82,220 | $80,580 | $40 | -13.8% | 50 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $81,210 | $72,230 | $39 | -14.8% | 230 |
| 35 | Ohio | $78,810 | $76,780 | $38 | -17.4% | 270 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $76,070 | $79,130 | $37 | -20.2% | 30 |
| 37 | Idaho | $74,680 | $77,440 | $36 | -21.7% | 140 |
| 38 | Indiana | $72,490 | $69,350 | $35 | -24% | 300 |
| 39 | Montana | $57,790 | $52,230 | $28 | -39.4% | 30 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 73 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $113,350 | $113,320 | 130 |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $110,810 | $117,020 | 50 |
| 3 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $108,200 | $107,530 | 270 |
| 4 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $107,970 | $104,790 | 320 |
| 5 | Ann Arbor, MI | $105,420 | $100,270 | 40 |
| 6 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $105,350 | $108,090 | 180 |
| 7 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $104,200 | $110,190 | 730 |
| 8 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $103,580 | $120,200 | 370 |
| 9 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $103,300 | $104,620 | 190 |
| 10 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $101,760 | $109,960 | 440 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing food scientists and technologistss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $118,610 | $124,300 | 80 |
| 2 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $118,610 | $124,300 | 80 |
| 3 | Scientific Research and Development Services | $108,360 | $118,670 | 1,050 |
| 4 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $108,360 | $118,890 | 1,040 |
| 5 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | $108,240 | $106,900 | 40 |
| 6 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $106,040 | $112,920 | 1,610 |
| 7 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | $106,040 | $112,920 | 1,610 |
| 8 | Sector 55 - Management of Companies and Enterprises | $106,040 | $112,920 | 1,610 |
| 9 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) | $104,790 | $109,200 | 700 |
| 10 | Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | $101,160 | $103,060 | 70 |
| 11 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $100,480 | $104,910 | 970 |
| 12 | Sector 42 - Wholesale Trade | $99,830 | $104,780 | 980 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do food scientists and technologists make in the U.S.?
The median food scientists and technologists salary in the United States is $88,720 per year (mean $95,360), and about 80% earn between $52,920 and $145,280.
How much do food scientists and technologists make per hour?
Roughly $46 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $95,360 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays food scientists and technologists the most?
Massachusetts has the highest average pay for food scientists and technologists at $116,780 per year (median $103,580).
What is the job outlook for food scientists and technologists?
Employment is projected to change +6.5% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 1,200 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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