Food Science and Technology
Offered at 225 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 51 | $49,465 | — | — |
| Associate | 20 | — | — | — |
| Bachelor's | 68 | $54,336 | $73,733 | $19,500 |
| Master's | 46 | $81,538 | $103,172 | — |
| Doctoral | 31 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 9 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
One year after finishing, a typical certificate program in this field reports median earnings of $49,465, versus $54,336 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint Louis University | MO | $64,362 | — | — |
| 2 | Dakota County Technical College | MN | $45,494 | $56,414 | — |
| 3 | University of Kentucky | KY | $49,465 | — | $21,500 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas State University | KS | $68,015 | $94,245 | $25,000 |
| 2 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | VA | $48,488 | $85,763 | — |
| 3 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | WI | $57,824 | $85,464 | — |
| 4 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | CA | $54,906 | $84,810 | $12,666 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | PA | $59,787 | $84,538 | $21,430 |
| 6 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | NJ | $58,376 | $84,293 | $19,500 |
| 7 | University of California-Davis | CA | $53,279 | $82,788 | $8,300 |
| 8 | Cornell University | NY | $66,519 | $81,299 | — |
| 9 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | MA | — | $80,255 | — |
| 10 | Michigan State University | MI | $60,006 | $79,203 | $28,000 |
| 11 | Purdue University-Main Campus | IN | $69,120 | $76,898 | $12,000 |
| 12 | University of Florida | FL | — | $75,694 | — |
| 13 | University of Maryland-College Park | MD | $39,340 | $74,423 | $19,500 |
| 14 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | CA | $54,580 | $74,019 | — |
| 15 | Washington State University | WA | — | $73,447 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan State University | MI | $94,811 | $128,903 | — |
| 2 | Kansas State University | KS | $93,675 | $107,654 | — |
| 3 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | IL | — | $98,690 | — |
| 4 | Chapman University | CA | $81,538 | — | — |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | WI | — | $69,052 | — |
| 6 | University of California-Davis | CA | $62,805 | — | — |
| 7 | Iowa State University | IA | $58,971 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning graduate certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa State University | IA | $53,521 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do food science and technology graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in food science and technology reports median earnings of $54,336. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
