Bachelor's+12% vs national median383 grads tracked
Food Science and Technology at Pennsylvania State University (The)
Ranked 3rd of 19 bachelor's programs in Food Science and Technology by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$58,288
middle 50%: $44,235 – $71,088
Median · 5 years out
$81,175
middle 50%: $63,950 – $97,604
Median · 10 years out
$105,406
middle 50%: $78,586 – $125,175
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Food Science and Technology (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Penn State food science graduates start with median salaries of $58k. After ten years, earnings reach $105k.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
5.1 yrs
≈ $5,697 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Wisconsin - Madison
$84,259 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
$82,447 · 5 yrs out
Purdue University
$79,918 · 5 yrs out
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
$78,456 · 5 yrs out
University of Georgia
$77,093 · 5 yrs out
University of Missouri - Columbia
$76,359 · 5 yrs out
University of Wisconsin - River Falls
$76,305 · 5 yrs out
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
$74,673 · 5 yrs out
Ohio State University (The)
$74,500 · 5 yrs out
North Carolina State University
$72,462 · 5 yrs out
Iowa State University of Science & Technology
$71,931 · 5 yrs out
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
$70,487 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Pennsylvania State University (The)
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$182,178 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$177,057 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$143,044 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$135,252 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$130,869 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$122,394 · 5 yrs out
Petroleum Engineering (Bachelor's)
$116,440 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$115,495 · 5 yrs out
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Bachelor's)
$115,004 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$114,831 · 5 yrs out
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's)
$114,734 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$114,727 · 5 yrs out
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