Food Science Technicians
Work with food scientists or technologists to perform standardized qualitative and quantitative tests to determine physical or chemical properties of food or beverage products. Includes technicians who assist in research and development of production technology, quality control, packaging, processing, and use of foods.
- Median pay
- $52,130
- Doing it now
- 20,800
- By 2035
- Up 4.8%
- Usually needs
- Associate's degree
a year
across the country
3,000 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Conduct standardized tests on food, beverages, additives, or preservatives to ensure compliance with standards and regulations regarding factors such as color, texture, or nutrients.
- Provide assistance to food scientists or technologists in research and development, production technology, or quality control.
- Compute moisture or salt content, percentages of ingredients, formulas, or other product factors, using mathematical and chemical procedures.
- Record or compile test results or prepare graphs, charts, or reports.
- Analyze test results to classify products or compare results with standard tables.
- Taste or smell foods or beverages to ensure that flavors meet specifications or to select samples with specific characteristics.
- Examine chemical or biological samples to identify cell structures or to locate bacteria or extraneous material, using a microscope.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Food Science and TechnologySee 78 colleges that teach it
- Agricultural and Food Products ProcessingSee 8 colleges that teach it
- Biology, GeneralSee 1,382 colleges that teach it
- ChemistrySee 1,170 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Hands-on and practical
Organised and precise
Analytical and curious
Careers like this one
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $52,130 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.