Food technologist vs food science technician

The differences between food technologists and food science technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food technologist has an average salary of $62,229, which is higher than the $36,799 average annual salary of a food science technician.

The top three skills for a food technologist include food safety, food preparation and regulatory compliance. The most important skills for a food science technician are food safety, product quality, and sensory evaluation.

Food technologist vs food science technician overview

	Food Technologist	Food Science Technician
Yearly salary	$62,229	$36,799
Hourly rate	$29.92	$17.69
Growth rate	8%	6%
Number of jobs	103,677	58,701
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Average age	40	43
Years of experience	4	-

Food technologist vs food science technician salary

Food technologists and food science technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Food Technologist	Food Science Technician
Average salary	$62,229	$36,799
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $98,000	Between $27,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City	Chicago, IL	Salinas, CA
Highest paying state	New York	Alaska
Best paying company	LexisNexis Reed Tech	Echo Lake Foods
Best paying industry	Health Care	-

Differences between food technologist and food science technician education

There are a few differences between a food technologist and a food science technician in terms of educational background:

	Food Technologist	Food Science Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Most common major	Food Science	Food Science
Most common college	Cornell University	University of Wisconsin - Madison

Food technologist vs food science technician demographics

Here are the differences between food technologists' and food science technicians' demographics:

	Food Technologist	Food Science Technician
Average age	40	43
Gender ratio	Male, 45.1% Female, 54.9%	Male, 52.4% Female, 47.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 12.0% White, 72.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Asian, 6.9% White, 64.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	19%	8%

Differences between food technologist and food science technician duties and responsibilities

Food technologist example responsibilities.

Develop and process data and presentations and manage technical documents for FDA & USDA.
Organize schedules for employees and set payroll -Provide direction and solve employee problems -Be extremely personable & manage stock control
Train and supervise employees GMP and GHP.
Create process controls and preventative actions through HACCP system/principles.
Prepare and package foods according to USDA standards for consumer consumption
Maintain up to date knowledge of USDA regulations, policies and appropriate product technology.

Food science technician example responsibilities.

Develop and process data and presentations and manage technical documents for FDA & USDA.
Inspect plant for microbiological contamination and drive cleaning/resolution to improve public safety and company image.
Used Autocad for topographic/bathymetric cross-sections.

Food technologist vs food science technician skills

Common food technologist skills

Food Safety, 16%
Food Preparation, 8%
Regulatory Compliance, 5%
Cleanliness, 4%
Safety Standards, 4%
Laboratory Equipment, 4%

Common food science technician skills

Food Safety, 26%
Product Quality, 20%
Sensory Evaluation, 19%
Culinary, 12%
Lab Equipment, 8%
Analytical Results, 7%

Food Technologist vs. similar jobs

Food Technologist related careers

Food Technologist related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Life, Physical, and Social Science Industry
Food Technologist
Food Technologist vs Food Science Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse life, physical, and social science jobs