Bachelor's+8% vs national median306 grads tracked
Food Science and Technology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Ranked 5th of 19 bachelor's programs in Food Science and Technology by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$55,464
middle 50%: $40,241 – $69,281
Median · 5 years out
$78,456
middle 50%: $58,461 – $96,791
Median · 10 years out
$95,918
middle 50%: $68,301 – $123,541
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
Food Science bachelor's graduates earn $55k in their first year. Median earnings reach $78k at year five and $96k at year ten.
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
5.3 yrs
≈ $5,970 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
Pennsylvania State University (The)
$81,175 · 5 yrs out
Purdue University
$79,918 · 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 Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$160,426 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$155,674 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$148,193 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$132,072 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$130,533 · 5 yrs out
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's)
$129,123 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$125,251 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$125,251 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$121,443 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$119,838 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Master's)
$116,512 · 5 yrs out
Education (Doctorate)
$109,749 · 5 yrs out
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