Animal Scientists vs Food Scientists and Technologists: $69K vs $89K Median Pay

Animal Scientists vs Food Scientists and Technologists: what changes?

Consider Animal Scientists if you want to conduct research in the genetics, nutrition, reproduction, growth, and development of domestic farm animals. Consider Food Scientists and Technologists if you would rather use chemistry, microbiology, engineering, and other sciences to study the principles underlying the processing and deterioration of foods; analyze food content to determine levels of vitamins, fat, sugar, and…. Both list bachelor's degree; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Animal Scientists and Food Scientists and Technologists. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Animal Scientists

National median pay (2025): $68,940
Route into the job: Bachelor's degree
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Study nutritional requirements of animals and nutritive values of animal feed materials.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 200

Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (3,400 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Animal Scientists brief

Food Scientists and Technologists

National median pay (2025): $88,720
Route into the job: Bachelor's degree
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Inspect food processing areas to ensure compliance with government regulations and standards for sanitation, safety, quality, and waste management.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 1,000

Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (14,100 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Food Scientists and Technologists brief

How the national numbers differ

Food Scientists and Technologists has the edge on annual openings

Food Scientists and Technologists is at 1,000 annual openings, compared with 200 annual openings for Animal Scientists.

Food Scientists and Technologists has the edge on median pay

Food Scientists and Technologists is at $88,720, compared with $68,940 for Animal Scientists.

Typical preparation differs.

Animal Scientists: Bachelor's degree Food Scientists and Technologists: Bachelor's degree Preparation categories do not establish admission difficulty, calendar time, tuition, time without earnings, or licensing difficulty.

Food Scientists and Technologists has the edge on projected growth

Food Scientists and Technologists is at 6.2% projected growth, compared with 5.8% projected growth for Animal Scientists.

39.5/ 100

Animal Scientists

52.7/ 100

Food Scientists and Technologists

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Animal Scientists vs Food Scientists and Technologists

Dimension	Animal Scientists	Food Scientists and Technologists
Median pay (2025)	$68,940	$88,720
Pay percentile	60.5 percentile	76.7 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	5.8%	6.2%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	200	1,000
2025 employment	3,400	14,100
How you qualify	Bachelor's degree	Bachelor's degree
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 5	Job Zone 4
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.	BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Animal Scientists brief Read Food Scientists and Technologists brief

Animal Scientists vs Food Scientists and Technologists: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Animal Scientists

Food Scientists and Technologists

How the national numbers differ

Food Scientists and Technologists has the edge on annual openings

Food Scientists and Technologists has the edge on median pay

Typical preparation differs.

Food Scientists and Technologists has the edge on projected growth

Animal Scientists vs Food Scientists and Technologists

Try another comparison

Animal Scientists vs Microbiologists

Animal Scientists vs Conservation Scientists

Food Scientists and Technologists vs Chemists