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Food Science Technology

Types of Degrees Food Science Technology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Food Science Technology have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	72
Associate’s Degree	112
Bachelor’s Degree	1,124
Master’s Degree	779
Doctor’s Degree	177

What Food Science Technology Majors Need to Know

Programs in Food Science Technology develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Food Science Technology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Food Science Technology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Food Production — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Production and Processing — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Food Science Technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Food Science Technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Food Science Technology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.3 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7
Getting Information	4.1 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.1 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.8 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.8 / 7
Working with Computers	3.7 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.7 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Food Science Technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Spreadsheet software	Spreadsheet software	—
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Database software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Food Science Technology graduates include:

• Blender
• Syrup Maker
• Dry Starch Operator
• Horticulture Manager
• Beer Brewer
• Faculty Member
• Soil Biology Teacher
• Agricultural Soil Conservation Professor
• Horticulture Instructor
• Agricultural Education Professor
• Dairy Husbandry Teacher
• Horticulture Professor
• Animal Husbandry Professor
• Pomology Teacher
• Associate Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Food Science Technology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	23.5%
Bachelor’s degree	19.6%
Doctoral degree	15.2%
Some college courses	8.9%
Master’s degree	8.0%
Post-doctoral training	7.3%
Postsecondary certificate	7.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	5.6%
Less than a high school diploma	4.1%
Post-master’s certificate	0.4%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.3%
First professional degree	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Food Science Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 61.1% of Food Science Technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	1,386	61.1%
Men	883	38.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Food Science Technology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,156	50.9%
Asian	182	8.0%
Hispanic or Latino	234	10.3%
Black or African American	104	4.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native	8	0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	2	0.1%
Two or More Races	66	2.9%
Race Unknown	67	3.0%
International Students	450	19.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Food Science Technology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Food Science Technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$55,828
4 years	$59,662
5 years	$68,842

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $68,842 — roughly 23% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Food Science Technology Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Food Science Technology. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	4	3
Bachelor’s	2	4
Master’s	3	4

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Food Science Technology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Food Science Technology graduates earn a median of $59,662 four years after completion — roughly 57% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Agriculture Ag Operations	01
Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services	01.05
Agricultural and Food Products Processing	01.04
Agricultural Business and Management	01.01
Agricultural Mechanization	01.02
Agricultural Production Operations	01.03
Agricultural Public Services	01.08
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other	01.99
Agriculture, General	01.00
Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs	01.13
Animal Sciences	01.09
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services	01.06

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.