Food Scientist salary
From 762 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 19-1012: Food Scientists and Technologists
- Also filed as: Food Technologist
At a glance
- Mostly Level II (mid-level). 28% of Food Scientist filings are Level II, compared with 42% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: Archer Daniels Midland Company. 18 filings (2% of the total), median $105,000.
- Median up 20% since FY2020. From $74,318 in FY2020 to $89,138 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Food Scientist H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 762 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Food Scientist jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 19-1012, Food Scientists and Technologists). The median base salary is $88,962, 27% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $73,287 and $111,337. The most common wage level is Level II (mid-level), at 28% of filings. New York, NY has the most filings (82), and Archer Daniels Midland Company is the employer that files the most (18).
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Enter the base salary in your offer. We compare it with certified H-1B filings for Food Scientist jobs, nationally or in one metro area.
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Food Scientist
Employers with the most Food Scientist filings. Bar: share of all Food Scientist filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 24% of filings
Mid-level · 28% of filings
Senior · 25% of filings
Expert · 23% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $69,746 | 180 |
| Level II · Qualified | $82,451 | 212 |
| Level III · Experienced | $100,880 | 185 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $124,589 | 169 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Food Scientist pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 17 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $103,417 | 82 |
| Chicago, IL | $93,269 | 73 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $91,354 | 30 |
| San Francisco, CA | $120,414 | 30 |
| Dallas, TX | $98,000 | 27 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $87,206 | 26 |
| Twin Falls, ID | $80,000 | 19 |
| St. Louis, MO | $92,414 | 14 |
| Atlanta, GA | $90,480 | 13 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $93,500 | 13 |
| Boston, MA | $87,000 | 12 |
| Janesville, WI | $97,425 | 12 |
| Seattle, WA | $122,179 | 12 |
| Columbus, OH | $91,199 | 10 |
| Fayetteville, AR | $60,878 | 10 |
| Ithaca, NY | $71,463 | 10 |
| Madison, WI | $70,096 | 10 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Food Scientist does
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.
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Study methods to improve aspects of foods, such as chemical composition, flavor, color, texture, nutritional value, and convenience.
- Develop food standards and production specifications, safety and sanitary regulations, and waste management and water supply specifications.
- Stay up to date on new regulations and current events regarding food science by reviewing scientific literature.
- Study the structure and composition of food or the changes foods undergo in storage and processing.
Preparation
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
O*NET occupation: Food Scientists and Technologists (19-1012.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Food Scientists and Technologists), the median annual wage was $88,720 in May 2025, with 13,060 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $88,962, 0% higher.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $62,306 | $52,920 |
| 25th percentile | $73,287 | $68,810 |
| Median | $88,962 | $88,720 |
| 75th percentile | $111,337 | $116,650 |
| 90th percentile | $135,247 | $145,280 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $62,306 |
| 25th | $73,287 |
| 50th (median) | $88,962 |
| 75th | $111,337 |
| 90th | $135,247 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $74,318 | $61,360 | $90,000 | 409 |
| FY2021 | $76,170 | $63,898 | $95,000 | 423 |
| FY2022 | $83,304 | $66,205 | $101,086 | 435 |
| FY2023 | $87,131 | $72,015 | $103,927 | 339 |
| FY2024 | $89,000 | $73,000 | $111,758 | 357 |
| FY2025 | $87,896 | $72,925 | $110,467 | 412 |
| FY2026 | $89,138 | $74,040 | $111,346 | 350 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Food Scientist make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Food Scientist jobs is $88,962 (762 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $73,287 and $111,337.
What does an entry-level Food Scientist earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $69,746. Level I accounts for 24% of Food Scientist filings.
Which employers file the most H-1B applications for Food Scientists?
Archer Daniels Midland Company (18), Kerry (14) and International Flavors & Fragrances (13) filed the most Food Scientist LCAs in FY2025–FY2026.
Do H-1B Food Scientists earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($88,962) is 0% higher than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($88,720, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.