How much does a food scientist and technologist make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $42.65 an hour or $7,393 a month.
- Hourly
- $42.65
- Average (mean)
- $95,360
- Jobs
- 13,060
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $52,920 | $25.44 | |
| 25th | $68,810 | $33.08 | |
| Median | $88,720 | $42.65 | |
| 75th | $116,700 | $56.08 | |
| 90th | $145,300 | $69.85 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| South Carolina | $108,700 |
| Missouri | $105,900 |
| New Jersey | $104,300 |
| Massachusetts | $103,600 |
| Florida | $101,200 |
| Colorado | $99,580 |
| Minnesota | $99,280 |
| Kentucky | $98,710 |
| Alabama | $97,480 |
| Washington | $94,990 |
| Illinois | $94,340 |
| New York | $94,070 |
| California | $93,950 |
| Virginia | $93,590 |
| Maryland | $93,330 |
| Texas | $90,610 |
| Arizona | $90,450 |
| Maine | $89,480 |
| Rhode Island | $87,970 |
| Georgia | $86,050 |
| Kansas | $85,130 |
| Oklahoma | $84,750 |
| Arkansas | $84,330 |
| Pennsylvania | $83,380 |
| Wisconsin | $83,020 |
| Iowa | $82,010 |
| Tennessee | $81,760 |
| Oregon | $81,660 |
| Nevada | $80,580 |
| North Carolina | $79,840 |
| New Mexico | $79,130 |
| Idaho | $77,440 |
| Michigan | $76,940 |
| Ohio | $76,780 |
| Utah | $73,280 |
| Nebraska | $72,230 |
| South Dakota | $71,330 |
| Indiana | $69,350 |
| Montana | $52,230 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| Washington, DC | $113,400 |
| San Jose, CA | $110,800 |
| St. Louis, MO | $108,200 |
| Atlanta, GA | $108,000 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $105,400 |
| Kansas City, MO | $105,400 |
| New York, NY | $104,200 |
| Boston, MA | $103,600 |
| Fayetteville, AR | $103,300 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $101,800 |
| Chicago, IL | $100,400 |
| Seattle, WA | $100,000 |
| Denver, CO | $99,900 |
| Buffalo, NY | $99,530 |
| San Francisco, CA | $98,930 |
In other countries
Food Scientist and Technologist belongs to the international group "Biologists, botanists, zoologists and related professionals".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
- Animal Scientist$68,940
- Soil and Plant Scientist$78,850
- Biochemist and Biophysicist$127,400
- Microbiologist$87,990
- Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$76,780
- Biological Scientist$98,920
- Conservation Scientist$73,010
- Forester$76,400
- Epidemiologist$87,220
- Medical Scientist$103,400
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food scientist and technologist make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $42.65 ($88,720 a year).
How much does a food scientist and technologist make a month?
About $7,393 a month before tax, based on a median of $88,720 a year.
How much does a food scientist and technologist make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $52,920 or less a year ($25.44 an hour); the top 10% make $145,300 or more.
Which state pays food scientist and technologists the most?
South Carolina, with a median of $108,700 a year, followed by Missouri ($105,900) and New Jersey ($104,300).
Which city pays food scientist and technologists the most?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, with a median of $113,400 a year.
How many food scientist and technologists are there in the United States?
About 13,060 people work as food scientist and technologists.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.