Animal Scientists
Median $68,940
Occupation · SOC 19-1012
Food Scientists and Technologists: pay and where the jobs are
What food scientists and technologists earn in the U.S., how pay varies across workers and states, and tools to plan around it.
National pay, May 2025
$88,720 median annual wage
- Mean (average) annual wage
- $95,360
- Median hourly wage
- $42.65
- Mean hourly wage
- $45.85
- Employment
- 13,060
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 19-1012.
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See where your pay falls among food scientists and technologists nationally and in your state. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
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How much do food scientists and technologists make?
The median annual wage for food scientists and technologists was $88,720 in May 2025, so half of workers earned more and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $52,920 and the highest-paid 10% more than $145,280. As an hourly rate, the median is $42.65. About 13,060 people work in this occupation nationwide. The highest state medians are in South Carolina ($108,660), Missouri ($105,930) and New Jersey ($104,340). After taxes and local prices, though, a median paycheck goes furthest in Missouri.
Pay ladder
What each step of the pay range for food scientists and technologists looks like per month. Take-home here includes federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer; add your state in the paycheck calculator.
| Step | Annual | Hourly | Monthly gross | Monthly after federal tax & FICA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $52,920 | $25.44 | $4,410 | $3,725 |
| 25th percentile | $68,810 | $33.08 | $5,734 | $4,770 |
| Median | $88,720 | $42.65 | $7,393 | $5,937 |
| 75th percentile | $116,650 | $56.08 | $9,721 | $7,574 |
| 90th percentile | $145,280 | $69.85 | $12,107 | $9,214 |
Food Scientists and Technologists: pay by state
39 states and territories have a published median, sorted from highest to lowest. The last two columns are our estimates: the median after 2026 federal and state taxes, and that take-home restated in national-average prices.
1
$87,330 take-home in national prices
2
$85,950 take-home in national prices
3
$83,115 take-home in national prices
Where a median food scientists and technologist paycheck goes furthest after 2026 taxes and BEA price levels.
| State | Employment | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Median after tax* | In national prices† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 90 | $108,660 | $41,140 | $163,900 | $80,577 | $85,950 |
| Missouri | 390 | $105,930 | $57,400 | $154,540 | $79,310 | $87,330 |
| New Jersey | 630 | $104,340 | $64,330 | $167,470 | $77,148 | $70,905 |
| Massachusetts | 420 | $103,580 | $68,990 | $183,260 | $76,263 | $72,112 |
| Florida | 170 | $101,160 | $48,090 | $139,480 | $79,996 | $77,355 |
| Colorado | 320 | $99,580 | $66,280 | $161,640 | $74,773 | $72,559 |
| Minnesota | 670 | $99,280 | $61,360 | $152,600 | $73,009 | $74,030 |
| Kentucky | 170 | $98,710 | $47,480 | $137,650 | $74,935 | $83,115 |
| Alabama | 60 | $97,480 | $58,510 | $122,790 | $73,404 | $82,641 |
| Washington | 250 | $94,990 | $56,520 | $162,740 | $74,338 | $69,466 |
| Illinois | 780 | $94,340 | $63,730 | $166,670 | $70,673 | $70,703 |
| New York | 660 | $94,070 | $58,740 | $137,570 | $70,061 | $64,919 |
| California | 2,210 | $93,950 | $60,060 | $140,810 | $69,210 | $62,509 |
| Virginia | 70 | $93,590 | $66,000 | $160,700 | $70,103 | $69,338 |
| Maryland | 270 | $93,330 | $59,640 | $145,650 | $70,420 | $67,093 |
| Texas | 840 | $90,610 | $46,810 | $136,100 | $72,574 | $74,775 |
| Arizona | Not published | $90,450 | $55,890 | $134,320 | $70,594 | $70,119 |
| Maine | 30 | $89,480 | $56,300 | $122,480 | $66,955 | $68,990 |
| Rhode Island | 40 | $87,970 | $65,580 | $100,590 | $67,067 | $65,572 |
| Georgia | 560 | $86,050 | $31,030 | $151,280 | $65,821 | $68,355 |
| Kansas | 380 | $85,130 | $51,670 | $146,820 | $64,768 | $71,911 |
| Oklahoma | 50 | $84,750 | $63,030 | $127,780 | $65,183 | $74,204 |
| Arkansas | 310 | $84,330 | $49,120 | $165,790 | $65,524 | $75,369 |
| Pennsylvania | 400 | $83,380 | $54,460 | $120,730 | $64,870 | $66,484 |
| Wisconsin | 410 | $83,020 | $57,410 | $131,840 | $63,815 | $67,820 |
| Iowa | 380 | $82,010 | $50,230 | $111,310 | $64,059 | $72,992 |
| Tennessee | 70 | $81,760 | $64,660 | $105,670 | $66,348 | $72,220 |
| Oregon | 270 | $81,660 | $58,390 | $118,250 | $60,245 | $58,286 |
| Nevada | 50 | $80,580 | $52,890 | $106,660 | $65,518 | $65,532 |
| North Carolina | 230 | $79,840 | $49,850 | $138,460 | $62,321 | $66,069 |
| New Mexico | 30 | $79,130 | $53,170 | $100,350 | $61,945 | $67,176 |
| Idaho | 140 | $77,440 | $41,600 | $117,340 | $60,313 | $63,159 |
| Michigan | 430 | $76,940 | $55,620 | $134,910 | $59,938 | $62,295 |
| Ohio | 270 | $76,780 | $46,870 | $121,830 | $61,177 | $65,942 |
| Utah | 120 | $73,280 | $53,200 | $126,410 | $57,372 | $58,031 |
| Nebraska | 230 | $72,230 | $50,710 | $129,740 | $57,237 | $63,524 |
| South Dakota | 90 | $71,330 | $41,990 | $147,530 | $59,011 | $66,614 |
| Indiana | 300 | $69,350 | $44,180 | $108,410 | $55,601 | $59,576 |
| Montana | 30 | $52,230 | $40,070 | $76,250 | $42,449 | $44,850 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 19-1012. *Our estimate for a single filer paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions or local tax, 2026 federal and state rules. †Take-home ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity × 100 (2024 price levels).
Sources
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25nat.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25st.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.