Agriculture ยท bachelor's degree
Food Science and Technology major: colleges and pay
67 colleges in our data award bachelor's degrees in food science and technology, 1,099 of them in 2023-24. Graduates of the typical program earned $54,743 a year after graduating and $70,571 four years after.
Colleges where food science and technology graduates earn the most
Programs with at least 10 graduates in 2023-24, ranked by median earnings four years after graduation.
| College | Graduates (2023-24) | Earnings 1 yr after | Earnings 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, WI | 16 | $57,824 | $85,445 | n/a |
| Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY | 27 | $66,519 | $84,147 | n/a |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusUniversity Park, PA | 34 | $59,787 | $83,112 | $20,500 |
| Rutgers University-New BrunswickNew Brunswick, NJ | 14 | $58,376 | $80,979 | $18,673 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, VA | 23 | $48,488 | $80,161 | n/a |
| Kansas State UniversityManhattan, KS | 32 | $68,015 | $78,367 | $23,250 |
| University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst, MA | 14 | n/a | $77,771 | n/a |
| California State Polytechnic University-PomonaPomona, CA | 30 | $54,580 | $75,601 | n/a |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA | 107 | $54,906 | $75,466 | $12,833 |
| Purdue University-Main CampusWest Lafayette, IN | 23 | $69,120 | $75,060 | $12,000 |
| University of Maryland-College ParkCollege Park, MD | 25 | $39,340 | $73,677 | $18,240 |
| North Carolina State University at RaleighRaleigh, NC | 11 | $59,250 | $72,782 | n/a |
| University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesMinneapolis, MN | 19 | $54,092 | $70,705 | n/a |
| University of California-DavisDavis, CA | 63 | $53,279 | $70,571 | $7,000 |
| Ohio State University-Main CampusColumbus, OH | 21 | $51,662 | $70,537 | n/a |
| Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing, MI | 20 | $60,006 | $70,380 | $27,500 |
| The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN | 14 | $36,674 | $68,114 | n/a |
| University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, IL | 74 | $56,486 | $66,226 | $18,168 |
| Iowa State UniversityAmes, IA | 21 | n/a | $65,943 | n/a |
| California State University-FresnoFresno, CA | 46 | $57,578 | $64,225 | n/a |
| University of FloridaGainesville, FL | 24 | n/a | $64,078 | n/a |
| Oregon State UniversityCorvallis, OR | 24 | $49,575 | $63,531 | n/a |
| Clemson UniversityClemson, SC | 83 | $40,352 | $63,501 | $19,000 |
| Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State, MS | 31 | n/a | $39,940 | $19,500 |
Largest food science and technology programs
| College | Graduates (2023-24) | Earnings 1 yr after | Earnings 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA | 107 | $54,906 | $75,466 | $12,833 |
| Clemson UniversityClemson, SC | 83 | $40,352 | $63,501 | $19,000 |
| University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, IL | 74 | $56,486 | $66,226 | $18,168 |
| University of California-DavisDavis, CA | 63 | $53,279 | $70,571 | $7,000 |
| University of Nebraska-LincolnLincoln, NE | 50 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| California State University-FresnoFresno, CA | 46 | $57,578 | $64,225 | n/a |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusUniversity Park, PA | 34 | $59,787 | $83,112 | $20,500 |
| Kansas State UniversityManhattan, KS | 32 | $68,015 | $78,367 | $23,250 |
| Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State, MS | 31 | n/a | $39,940 | $19,500 |
| California State Polytechnic University-PomonaPomona, CA | 30 | $54,580 | $75,601 | n/a |
| Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY | 27 | $66,519 | $84,147 | n/a |
| University of Maryland-College ParkCollege Park, MD | 25 | $39,340 | $73,677 | $18,240 |
| University of FloridaGainesville, FL | 24 | n/a | $64,078 | n/a |
| Oregon State UniversityCorvallis, OR | 24 | $49,575 | $63,531 | n/a |
| University of ArkansasFayetteville, AR | 24 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Graduate degrees in food science and technology
Master's: 47 programs, $81,538 first-year earnings; Doctoral: 33 programs. Compare graduate programs.
Every college with a food science and technology major
Frequently asked questions
How much do food science and technology majors make?
Graduates of the typical food science and technology program earned a median of $54,743 one year after graduation and $70,571 four years after, in 2024 dollars.
Which college has the highest-paid food science and technology graduates?
University of Wisconsin-Madison, where graduates earned a median of $85,445 four years after graduation (programs with at least 10 graduates).
How many colleges offer a food science and technology major?
67 colleges on the College Scorecard awarded bachelor's degrees in food science and technology in 2022-23 or 2023-24.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field of study file, data release of October 15, 2026. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working, not enrolled. One-year figures: graduates of 2020-21 and 2021-22, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Four-year figures: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. More on the data.