Best Food Science Technician programs in North Carolina, ranked by enrollment
Work with food scientists or technologists to perform standardized qualitative and quantitative tests to determine physical or chemical properties of food or beverage products.
51 schools in North Carolina run programs that feed this job, graduating 4,497 people a year. The job pays a median of $48,640 in North Carolina across about 130 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in North Carolina that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
7 programs in North Carolina that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in North Carolina (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own North Carolina page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 26.0101In North Carolina → | 3,519 | 78.3% | 50 | $32,152 | $25,000 |
| 2 | CIP 40.0501In North Carolina → | 658 | 14.6% | 35 | $42,620 | $23,900 |
| 3 | CIP 26.0202In North Carolina → | 197 | 4.4% | 18 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 4 | CIP 26.0502In North Carolina → | 43 | 1.0% | 1 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 5 | CIP 01.1001In North Carolina → | 42 | 0.9% | 1 | $51,883 | $21,000 |
| 6 | CIP 01.0401In North Carolina → | 33 | 0.7% | 1 | $48,505 | $23,250 |
| 7 | CIP 01.1099In North Carolina → | 5 | 0.1% | 1 | $51,883 | $21,000 |
Top 25 schools in North Carolina
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 29 of the 51 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC Public · 3 feeder programs | 782 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $33,471 | 91% | — | 15% |
| 2 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC Public · 5 feeder programs | 648 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $36,157 | 85% | — | 42% |
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC Public · 2 feeder programs | 403 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $34,094 | 69% | — | 80% |
| 4 | East Carolina University Greenville, NC Public · 3 feeder programs | 319 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $38,992 | 63% | — | 89% |
| 5 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC Public · 3 feeder programs | 268 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $31,922 | 56% | — | 89% |
| 6 | Appalachian State University Boone, NC Public · 3 feeder programs | 254 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $29,946 | 75% | — | 90% |
| 7 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC Public · 3 feeder programs | 237 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $32,925 | 71% | — | 64% |
| 8 | Duke University Durham, NC Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 225 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $30,939 | 97% | $16,260 | 6% |
| 9 | North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC Public · 2 feeder programs | 144 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $31,660 | 57% | — | 50% |
| 10 | Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC Public · 2 feeder programs | 102 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $28,381 | 60% | — | 82% |
| 11 | Davidson College Davidson, NC Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 90 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $39,602 | 91% | $16,628 | 13% |
| 12 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 88 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $30,666 | 89% | $20,914 | 22% |
| 13 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke, NC Public · 2 feeder programs | 87 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $30,147 | 44% | — | 93% |
| 14 | Fayetteville State University Fayetteville, NC Public · 2 feeder programs | 62 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $28,332 | 38% | — | 82% |
| 15 | Wingate University Wingate, NC Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 61 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $27,729 | 46% | $21,585 | 91% |
| 16 | Elon University Elon, NC Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 60 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $32,683 | 84% | $33,688 | 66% |
| 17 | Meredith College Raleigh, NC Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 55 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $43,182 | 70% | $19,552 | 74% |
| 18 | High Point University High Point, NC Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 48 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | — | 74% | $37,072 | 75% |
| 19 | Winston - Salem State University Winston-Salem, NC Public · 2 feeder programs | 48 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $30,719 | 47% | — | 78% |
| 20 | North Carolina Central University Durham, NC Public · 2 feeder programs | 43 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $30,423 | 42% | — | 87% |
| 21 | University of North Carolina Asheville Asheville, NC Public · 2 feeder programs | 42 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $27,943 | 54% | — | 92% |
| 22 | Asheville - Buncombe Technical Community College Asheville, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 33 | Agricultural and Food Products Processing | — | 40% | — | — |
| 23 | Campbell University Buies Creek, NC Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 28 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $35,579 | 61% | $23,331 | 87% |
| 24 | Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 27 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | — | 44% | — | 64% |
| 25 | Gardner - Webb University Boiling Springs, NC Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 27 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | — | 55% | $22,863 | 77% |
All 51 schools in North Carolina
Every school in North Carolina with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill | Public | 782 | 3 |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | Raleigh | Public | 648 | 5 |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte | Public | 403 | 2 |
| East Carolina University | Greenville | Public | 319 | 3 |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Greensboro | Public | 268 | 3 |
| Appalachian State University | Boone | Public | 254 | 3 |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | Wilmington | Public | 237 | 3 |
| Duke University | Durham | Private not-for-profit | 225 | 3 |
| North Carolina A & T State University | Greensboro | Public | 144 | 2 |
| Western Carolina University | Cullowhee | Public | 102 | 2 |
| Davidson College | Davidson | Private not-for-profit | 90 | 2 |
| Wake Forest University | Winston-Salem | Private not-for-profit | 88 | 2 |
| University of North Carolina at Pembroke | Pembroke | Public | 87 | 2 |
| Fayetteville State University | Fayetteville | Public | 62 | 2 |
| Wingate University | Wingate | Private not-for-profit | 61 | 3 |
What food science technicians earn in North Carolina
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $52,130. North Carolina pays below the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Food Science Technicians page.
How to become a Food Science Technician
Job zone 3 of 5 · SVP 6.0 to < 7.0- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in North Carolina
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 10 majors mapped to Food Science Technicians10 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 01.0401Agricultural and Food Products Processing
- 01.1001Food Science
- 01.1002Food Technology and Processing
- 01.1003Brewing Science
- 01.1005Zymology/Fermentation Science
- 01.1099Food Science and Technology, Other
- 26.0101Biology/Biological Sciences, General
- 26.0202Biochemistry
- 26.0502Microbiology, General
- 40.0501Chemistry, General
Common questions
Answers for people weighing food science technicians programs in North Carolina.
What degree do you need to become a Food Science Technician?+
Associate's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Biology/Biological Sciences, General, which awarded 3,519 degrees in North Carolina in 2024-25, 78.3% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Food Science Technician?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 7 programs to this occupation. The largest are Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Food Science and Technology, plus 2 more. Together they graduate about 4,497 people a year in North Carolina.
How much do food science technicians earn in North Carolina?+
The median is $48,640 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 6.7% below the U.S. median of $52,130. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for food science technicians growing?+
BLS projects a +4.8% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 3,200 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in North Carolina?+
51 institutions in North Carolina reported graduates from at least one of the 7 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do food science technicians work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Laboratory Technician (Lab Tech), Central Laboratory Technician (CLT), QC Tech (Quality Control Technician), Quality Assurance Analyst (QA Analyst) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 19-4013.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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