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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

19-4013 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.


National estimates for Food Science Technicians
Industry profile for Food Science Technicians
Geographic profile for Food Science Technicians

National estimates for Food Science Technicians:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Food Science Technicians:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
15,190 3.0 % $ 25.96 $ 54,000 0.8 %

Percentile wage estimates for Food Science Technicians:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 17.93 $ 20.08 $ 23.60 $ 29.51 $ 35.88
Annual Wage (2) $ 37,290 $ 41,770 $ 49,090 $ 61,390 $ 74,630


Industry profile for Food Science Technicians:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Food Science Technicians are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Food Science Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Food Science Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Dairy Product Manufacturing 1,990 1.23 $ 25.06 $ 52,120
Other Food Manufacturing 1,910 0.74 $ 26.11 $ 54,320
Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing 1,670 0.98 $ 22.67 $ 47,150
Beverage Manufacturing 1,600 0.51 $ 28.82 $ 59,940
Scientific Research and Development Services 970 0.11 $ 36.33 $ 75,560

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Food Science Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Dairy Product Manufacturing 1,990 1.23 $ 25.06 $ 52,120
Grain and Oilseed Milling 670 1.04 $ 26.36 $ 54,820
Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing 1,670 0.98 $ 22.67 $ 47,150
Other Food Manufacturing 1,910 0.74 $ 26.11 $ 54,320
Beverage Manufacturing 1,600 0.51 $ 28.82 $ 59,940

Top paying industries for Food Science Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 970 0.11 $ 36.33 $ 75,560
Management of Companies and Enterprises 600 0.02 $ 31.14 $ 64,770
Beverage Manufacturing 1,600 0.51 $ 28.82 $ 59,940
Restaurants and Other Eating Places (8) (8) $ 27.57 $ 57,340
Warehousing and Storage 130 0.01 $ 27.45 $ 57,090


Geographic profile for Food Science Technicians:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Food Science Technicians are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Food Science Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of food science technicians by state, May 2023


States with the highest employment level in Food Science Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 4,130 0.23 2.30 $ 26.22 $ 54,540
Texas 1,160 0.09 0.86 $ 24.47 $ 50,900
New Jersey 760 0.18 1.81 $ 28.04 $ 58,330
Pennsylvania 750 0.13 1.26 $ 23.80 $ 49,500
Maryland 690 0.26 2.57 $ 29.38 $ 61,100


Map of location quotient of food science technicians by state, May 2023


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Food Science Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Idaho 430 0.52 5.17 $ 21.33 $ 44,370
Oregon 630 0.32 3.24 $ 23.63 $ 49,160
Iowa 460 0.30 2.98 $ 23.91 $ 49,730
Maryland 690 0.26 2.57 $ 29.38 $ 61,100
Nebraska 250 0.25 2.53 $ 21.62 $ 44,960


Map of annual mean wages of food science technicians by state, May 2023


Top paying states for Food Science Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Hampshire 40 0.07 0.65 $ 30.02 $ 62,450
Colorado 120 0.04 0.41 $ 29.75 $ 61,890
Ohio 300 0.06 0.55 $ 29.62 $ 61,610
Maryland 690 0.26 2.57 $ 29.38 $ 61,100
Massachusetts 120 0.03 0.32 $ 29.32 $ 60,990



Map of employment of food science technicians by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Food Science Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 840 0.14 1.37 $ 26.50 $ 55,120
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 600 0.06 0.63 $ 29.53 $ 61,430
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 510 0.39 3.89 $ 29.97 $ 62,340
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 500 0.13 1.27 $ 25.31 $ 52,650
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 380 0.16 1.58 $ 29.71 $ 61,790
St. Louis, MO-IL 350 0.26 2.61 $ 28.78 $ 59,860
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 340 0.11 1.09 $ 47.05 $ 97,860
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 300 0.25 2.46 $ 25.64 $ 53,330
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 280 0.10 1.00 $ 25.79 $ 53,640
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 280 0.17 1.66 $ 24.22 $ 50,370


Map of location quotient of food science technicians by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Food Science Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Napa, CA 240 3.12 31.16 $ 29.16 $ 60,650
Merced, CA 210 2.69 26.91 $ 27.29 $ 56,750
Twin Falls, ID 120 2.54 25.38 $ 21.70 $ 45,140
Hanford-Corcoran, CA 80 1.68 16.84 $ 22.30 $ 46,380
Visalia-Porterville, CA 250 1.47 14.69 $ 25.16 $ 52,340
Modesto, CA 240 1.25 12.52 $ 24.68 $ 51,330
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD 80 0.89 8.92 $ 23.66 $ 49,220
Santa Rosa, CA 170 0.84 8.40 $ 27.31 $ 56,800
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA 90 0.78 7.79 $ 25.38 $ 52,780
Gainesville, GA 70 0.72 7.16 $ 19.48 $ 40,530


Map of annual mean wages of food science technicians by area, May 2023


Top paying metropolitan areas for Food Science Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 340 0.11 1.09 $ 47.05 $ 97,860
Rochester, NY 80 0.15 1.54 $ 34.07 $ 70,870
Jacksonville, FL 60 0.07 0.75 $ 32.25 $ 67,070
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 60 0.06 0.57 $ 31.85 $ 66,250
Fort Collins, CO 50 0.31 3.15 $ 31.68 $ 65,900
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 110 0.04 0.41 $ 30.62 $ 63,700
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 40 0.05 0.55 $ 30.61 $ 63,670
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 510 0.39 3.89 $ 29.97 $ 62,340
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 380 0.16 1.58 $ 29.71 $ 61,790
Columbus, OH 90 0.08 0.85 $ 29.66 $ 61,700

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Food Science Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area 100 1.07 10.70 $ 20.19 $ 41,990
North Georgia nonmetropolitan area 80 0.44 4.37 $ 19.87 $ 41,330
Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area 80 1.12 11.17 $ 20.39 $ 42,400
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 80 0.50 5.05 $ 20.89 $ 43,450
South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 70 0.34 3.45 $ 24.79 $ 51,570

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Food Science Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area 80 1.12 11.17 $ 20.39 $ 42,400
Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area 100 1.07 10.70 $ 20.19 $ 41,990
East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 70 0.54 5.37 $ 22.56 $ 46,930
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 80 0.50 5.05 $ 20.89 $ 43,450
Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 60 0.47 4.69 $ 26.27 $ 54,640

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Food Science Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 50 0.19 1.92 $ 30.68 $ 63,820
Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 60 0.47 4.69 $ 26.27 $ 54,640
Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 70 0.47 4.69 $ 26.16 $ 54,410
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 60 0.22 2.16 $ 25.78 $ 53,620
South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 70 0.34 3.45 $ 24.79 $ 51,570


About May 2023 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024