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BLSSalary

Food Science Technicians Salary (2025)

Based on 14,600 employed workers · BLS OEWS May 2025

Official BLS Data
Annual Mean
$56,660
$27.24/hr
Annual Median
$52,130
$25.06/hr
Bottom 10%
$39,820
$19.14/hr
Top 10%
$78,820
$37.89/hr

Salary Percentile Breakdown

PercentileAnnual
10th Percentile
Bottom 10%
$39,820
25th Percentile
Lower quarter
$46,020
50th PercentileMedian
Median
$52,130
75th Percentile
Upper quarter
$63,270
90th Percentile
Top 10%
$78,820

Salary Distribution

Annual Salary Range

10th

$40K

25th

$46K

Median

$52K

75th

$63K

90th

$79K

Highest Paying States for Food Science Technicians

States with highest average wages · BLS May 2025

StateAnnual Mean
Illinois$68,480
Kentucky$66,530
Virginia$65,500
Washington$65,120
Colorado$63,140
Florida$62,250
Ohio$62,220
Missouri$62,180
Maryland$60,600
Nevada$58,820

Geographic Salary Variation

Food Science Technicians salaries vary significantly across the United States. The highest paying state is Illinois at an average of $68,480 per year, while Nevada has an average of $58,820 — a difference of $9,660. These geographic differences reflect variations in cost of living, demand, and local labor market conditions.

Highest Paying Metro Areas

Top cities by average annual wage

Columbus, OH
$78,750
per year
Jacksonville, FL
$77,640
per year
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
$76,400
per year
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
$72,940
per year
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
$71,440
per year
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
$70,550
per year
St. Louis, MO-IL
$67,050
per year
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$66,920
per year

About Food Science Technicians

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 14,600 workers were employed as Food Science Technicianss in the United States as of May 2025. This occupation is classified under Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations. The annual mean wage of $56,660 reflects data from employer surveys conducted by BLS.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 · SOC Code: 19-4013

What do these percentiles mean? The 10th percentile ($39,820) represents entry-level or part-time Food Science Technicianss, while the 90th percentile ($78,820) represents highly experienced professionals or those in high-demand locations. The median ($52,130) is the midpoint — half of all Food Science Technicianss earn more and half earn less than this amount.

Related Occupations in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
$103,410
median/yr
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
$90,150
median/yr
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
$82,220
median/yr
Chemists
$91,240
median/yr
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
$100,580
median/yr
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other
$62,280
median/yr
Data sourced from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025. Public domain. Not affiliated with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.