Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$58,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$5,500
9.3% of base
Total target cash
$64,000
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$3,50050th$5,50075th$9,000
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
Typical entry preparation: Bachelor's Degree and up to 2 years of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
Taste or smell foods or beverages to ensure that flavors meet specifications or to select samples with specific characteristics.
Measure, test, or weigh bottles, cans, or other containers to ensure that hardness, strength, or dimensions meet specifications.
Maintain records of testing results or other documents as required by state or other governing agencies.
Monitor and control temperature of products.
Analyze test results to classify products or compare results with standard tables.
Top skills:Reading ComprehensionWritingSpeakingActive ListeningScienceCritical Thinking
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Food Science Technician pay by experience level
Entry level$41,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$47,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$54,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$65,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$81,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+4.8%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
3,200
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Food Science Technician salary by industry
Food Manufacturing
9,240 workers
$55,500
Dairy Product Manufacturing
2,160 workers
$58,000
Other Food Manufacturing
1,870 workers
$57,500
Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing
1,700 workers
$53,500
Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing
1,430 workers
$68,500
Beverage Manufacturing
1,430 workers
$68,500
Animal Slaughtering and Processing
1,400 workers
$52,000
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
860 workers
$64,500
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods
800 workers
$66,000
Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing
670 workers
$54,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Taste or smell foods or beverages to ensure that flavors meet specifications or to select samples with specific characteristics.
Measure, test, or weigh bottles, cans, or other containers to ensure that hardness, strength, or dimensions meet specifications.
Maintain records of testing results or other documents as required by state or other governing agencies.
Monitor and control temperature of products.
Analyze test results to classify products or compare results with standard tables.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Exempt · Professional, Administrative, or Executive exemption
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Exempt when paid above the salary threshold, provided they satisfy the duties test for one of the FLSA exemption categories. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
How this role compares
Food Science Technician pays 42% below the average across 66 roles in the Life, Physical, and Social Science job family (family average $100,500).
Similar-paying roles in Life, Physical, and Social Science
Need Food Science Technician pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
