19
Food Science Technicians is a notable career in the 19 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Food Science Technicians against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 19-4013 |
| title | Food Science Technicians |
| onet code | 19-4013.00 |
| description | 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. |
| job zone | 3 |
| major group | 19 |
| tot emp | 14,200 |
| a mean | 54,400 |
| a median | 49,430 |
| a pct10 | 37,760 |
| a pct25 | 43,990 |
| a pct75 | 60,940 |
| a pct90 | 75,100 |
| h mean | 26 |
| h median | 23 |
The day-to-day work of a food science technicians typically centers on taste or smell foods or beverages to ensure that flavors meet specifications or to select samples with specific characteristics. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Reading Comprehension, Writing, and Speaking. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.32 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working food science technicians, the most common entry qualification is a Bachelor's Degree (32.3%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 45% of incumbents. Entry pathways are mixed; a meaningful minority enters without a four-year degree.
Median annual pay is highest in Mississippi at $64,600 and lowest in Kansas at $35,810 — a 1.8× spread. The top five states (Mississippi, Illinois, Colorado, Virginia, Massachusetts) average $60,858. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | $64,600 | $60,080 | $43,310 | $75,210 | 30 |
| Illinois | $63,730 | $68,670 | $46,550 | $95,210 | 390 |
| Colorado | $59,450 | $61,340 | $47,050 | $77,530 | 190 |
| Virginia | $59,110 | $59,140 | $46,270 | $76,690 | 240 |
| Massachusetts | $57,400 | $59,590 | $47,930 | $78,570 | 130 |
| Missouri | $55,830 | $57,670 | $42,190 | $76,910 | 310 |
| Michigan | $53,480 | $56,280 | $38,130 | $79,210 | 130 |
| Tennessee | $52,710 | $53,960 | $48,100 | $70,460 | 90 |
| New York | $52,530 | $56,870 | $40,180 | $72,100 | 750 |
| Kentucky | $52,410 | $53,820 | $32,770 | $72,150 | 160 |
| New Jersey | $52,390 | $58,910 | $36,870 | $97,340 | 610 |
| Maryland | $51,690 | $55,540 | $37,480 | $79,130 | 270 |
| California | $50,960 | $55,100 | $38,210 | $73,830 | 4,000 |
| Minnesota | $50,380 | $52,900 | $39,360 | $62,360 | 340 |
| Wisconsin | $50,080 | $53,440 | $42,680 | $69,080 | 550 |
| Vermont | $49,970 | $52,240 | $39,400 | $69,510 | 40 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,050 | $51,400 | $38,260 | $63,400 | 580 |
| Oregon | $48,840 | $49,300 | $37,430 | $63,180 | 570 |
| Utah | $48,790 | $54,800 | $39,470 | $67,370 | 90 |
| Connecticut | $48,580 | $48,620 | $39,420 | $55,970 | — |
| Indiana | $48,060 | $52,460 | $38,330 | $70,740 | 430 |
| Iowa | $47,610 | $49,990 | $38,030 | $62,780 | 400 |
| Washington | $47,420 | $50,300 | $39,140 | $63,210 | 340 |
| Florida | $46,980 | $53,050 | $35,880 | $76,320 | 250 |
| Ohio | $46,830 | $54,330 | $35,510 | $81,450 | 360 |
| Nebraska | $46,450 | $48,220 | $40,070 | $61,330 | 180 |
| Arkansas | $46,400 | $47,640 | $39,040 | $58,520 | 160 |
| Texas | $46,170 | $50,130 | $35,770 | $76,030 | 970 |
| South Dakota | $46,000 | $43,910 | $33,540 | $54,530 | 100 |
| Idaho | $45,230 | $44,500 | $35,490 | $49,570 | 320 |
| North Carolina | $44,720 | $48,240 | $38,250 | $62,680 | 110 |
| New Mexico | $43,990 | $43,890 | $34,390 | $48,820 | 120 |
| Georgia | $41,840 | $49,700 | $35,120 | $73,720 | 500 |
| South Carolina | $39,300 | $41,390 | $31,530 | $57,110 | 50 |
| Kansas | $35,810 | $38,120 | $31,960 | $48,600 | 60 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for food science technicians. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Beer Brewer or Biotechnician frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Food Science Technicians compares to others in the 19 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Food Science Technicians
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.