SOC 19-1012 · Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
Food Scientists and Technologists wages by metro
National median annual wage
$88,720
- 10th percentile
- $52,920
- 25th percentile
- $68,810
- Median
- $88,720
- 75th percentile
- $116,650
- 90th percentile
- $145,280
- Mean
- $95,360
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 13,060.
That median is 74% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 130 | $64,010 | $113,350 | $160,700 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 50 | $74,990 | $110,810 | $171,720 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 270 | $63,500 | $108,200 | $169,280 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 320 | $31,030 | $107,970 | $172,740 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | 40 | $65,560 | $105,420 | $134,910 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 180 | $63,410 | $105,350 | $177,210 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 730 | $64,510 | $104,200 | $165,820 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 370 | $72,130 | $103,580 | $183,260 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | 190 | $49,120 | $103,300 | $166,910 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 440 | $66,730 | $101,760 | $152,600 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 610 | $65,810 | $100,390 | $173,750 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 120 | $59,380 | $100,000 | $163,520 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 220 | $66,280 | $99,900 | $164,260 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 110 | $67,460 | $99,530 | $167,680 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 380 | $82,520 | $98,930 | $159,570 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 60 | $51,020 | $98,220 | $146,800 |
| Merced, CA | 40 | $61,760 | $96,430 | $149,560 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 230 | $60,420 | $96,210 | $135,880 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 60 | $62,250 | $95,030 | $139,770 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | 50 | $48,060 | $94,770 | $159,240 |
Where employment is largest
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 730 | $64,510 | $104,200 | $165,820 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 610 | $65,810 | $100,390 | $173,750 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 550 | $62,920 | $91,060 | $141,480 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 440 | $66,730 | $101,760 | $152,600 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 410 | $50,090 | $93,670 | $154,780 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 380 | $82,520 | $98,930 | $159,570 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 370 | $72,130 | $103,580 | $183,260 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 320 | $31,030 | $107,970 | $172,740 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 270 | $63,500 | $108,200 | $169,280 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 230 | $60,420 | $96,210 | $135,880 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 220 | $66,280 | $99,900 | $164,260 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | 190 | $49,120 | $103,300 | $166,910 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 180 | $63,410 | $105,350 | $177,210 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 170 | $59,400 | $85,360 | $126,330 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 160 | $46,000 | $76,580 | $111,310 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 150 | $58,850 | $93,330 | $162,650 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 150 | $54,990 | $80,050 | $117,360 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 130 | $54,790 | $90,210 | $133,150 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 130 | $46,060 | $67,790 | $108,550 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 130 | $64,010 | $113,350 | $160,700 |
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 90 | $41,140 | $108,660 | $163,900 |
| Missouri | 390 | $57,400 | $105,930 | $154,540 |
| New Jersey | 630 | $64,330 | $104,340 | $167,470 |
| Massachusetts | 420 | $68,990 | $103,580 | $183,260 |
| Florida | 170 | $48,090 | $101,160 | $139,480 |
| Colorado | 320 | $66,280 | $99,580 | $161,640 |
| Minnesota | 670 | $61,360 | $99,280 | $152,600 |
| Kentucky | 170 | $47,480 | $98,710 | $137,650 |
| Alabama | 60 | $58,510 | $97,480 | $122,790 |
| Washington | 250 | $56,520 | $94,990 | $162,740 |
| Illinois | 780 | $63,730 | $94,340 | $166,670 |
| New York | 660 | $58,740 | $94,070 | $137,570 |
| California | 2,210 | $60,060 | $93,950 | $140,810 |
| Virginia | 70 | $66,000 | $93,590 | $160,700 |
| Maryland | 270 | $59,640 | $93,330 | $145,650 |
| Texas | 840 | $46,810 | $90,610 | $136,100 |
| Arizona | Not available | $55,890 | $90,450 | $134,320 |
| Maine | 30 | $56,300 | $89,480 | $122,480 |
| Rhode Island | 40 | $65,580 | $87,970 | $100,590 |
| Georgia | 560 | $31,030 | $86,050 | $151,280 |
| Kansas | 380 | $51,670 | $85,130 | $146,820 |
| Oklahoma | 50 | $63,030 | $84,750 | $127,780 |
| Arkansas | 310 | $49,120 | $84,330 | $165,790 |
| Pennsylvania | 400 | $54,460 | $83,380 | $120,730 |
| Wisconsin | 410 | $57,410 | $83,020 | $131,840 |
| Iowa | 380 | $50,230 | $82,010 | $111,310 |
| Tennessee | 70 | $64,660 | $81,760 | $105,670 |
| Oregon | 270 | $58,390 | $81,660 | $118,250 |
| Nevada | 50 | $52,890 | $80,580 | $106,660 |
| North Carolina | 230 | $49,850 | $79,840 | $138,460 |
| New Mexico | 30 | $53,170 | $79,130 | $100,350 |
| Idaho | 140 | $41,600 | $77,440 | $117,340 |
| Michigan | 430 | $55,620 | $76,940 | $134,910 |
| Ohio | 270 | $46,870 | $76,780 | $121,830 |
| Utah | 120 | $53,200 | $73,280 | $126,410 |
| Nebraska | 230 | $50,710 | $72,230 | $129,740 |
| South Dakota | 90 | $41,990 | $71,330 | $147,530 |
| Indiana | 300 | $44,180 | $69,350 | $108,410 |
| Montana | 30 | $40,070 | $52,230 | $76,250 |
Other life, physical, and social science occupations
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
- Chemists
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
- Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other
- Biological Technicians
- School Psychologists
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Food Scientists and Technologists?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Food Scientists and Technologists is $88,720. Employment is 13,060.
How does Food Scientists and Technologists pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Food Scientists and Technologists is 74% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Food Scientists and Technologists?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is highest on this page's list at $113,350.