Food Scientist

Explore This Path

Perfect for those passionate about food safety and innovation in the culinary world.
Ensure food quality and safety, impacting health and nutrition globally.
Discover new food sources and enhance food processing techniques.

💰 Earn $70K-$104K

📚 Bachelor Degree

⏱️ 24–48 MONTH TRAINING

📈 8.9% JOB GROWTH

Find Training

What You’ll Do

Use chemistry, microbiology, engineering, and other sciences to study the principles underlying the processing and deterioration of foods; analyze food content to determine levels of vitamins, fat, sugar, and protein; discover new food sources; research ways to make processed foods safe, palatable, and healthful; and apply food science knowledge to determine best ways to process, package, preserve, store, and distribute food.

Inspect food processing areas to ensure compliance with government regulations and standards for sanitation, safety, quality, and waste management.
Check raw ingredients for maturity or stability for processing, and finished products for safety, quality, and nutritional value.
Develop new or improved ways of preserving, processing, packaging, storing, and delivering foods, using knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, and other sciences.
Test new products for flavor, texture, color, nutritional content, and adherence to government and industry standards.
Stay up to date on new regulations and current events regarding food science by reviewing scientific literature.

Scoop

Minimum Education

Bachelor Degree

Career Prospects

Excellent (Increasing by 5% or more)

Training Time

2 to 4 years

Job Openings

1,200 Annually

Median Earnings

$87,390 in California

$82,090 Nationally

$25K

$50K

$75K

$100K

$125K

$150K

$175K

$200K

$225K

$250K

Best For You If...

YOU Like 💕

Thinking and problem solving
Using data or completing tasks
Working with my hands

You are skilled in 💫

Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Science
Speaking
Writing

You value 🙏

Accomplishing things
Having support
Receiving recognition

Deep Dive

Food Scientist

Explore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.

Pathways to this Career

Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.

Vocational School

A vocational school typically equips students with specialized skills and practical training in specific trades or occupations, enhancing their employability and providing direct pathways to relevant careers.

🎓 Skills-Focused

⏱️ FINISH IN 6 months - 2 years

Bachelor's Degree

A bachelor's degree typically results in increased knowledge about a variety of academic subjects, specialized knowledge in a focused field of study, and is considered the foundational qualification for many careers.

🎓 College

⏱️ FINISH IN 4-5+ years

Associate's Degree

An associate's degree typically provides graduates with foundational knowledge and skills for entry-level jobs in the graduate's industry, or serves as a stepping stone towards further education.

🎓 College

⏱️ FINISH IN 2-3 years