by our College Data Analytics TeamStudents who major in Food Processing work to ensure that crops and animal products are healthy and safe for consumption.
In this field, you will take classes on nutrition, health and safety standards, food processing and packaging to learn how to improve the quantity and quality of crops. You will spend time studying math, chemistry, business, agricultural economics, and computer science concepts and how they relate to agricultural production. By the time you finish your degree, you will be able to conduct research and help improve farmers' outputs.
In 2021-2022, food processing was the 339th most popular major nationwide with 190 degrees awarded. Our 2025 Best Food Processing Schools ranking analyzes 2 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for food processing students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of food processing programs later in this article.
Food Processing is a great career for anyone who enjoys science and performing experiments. Since the products harvested from farms are being used to feed the general population, it is important that the food is continually tested for nutrition and packaged safely. If you choose to focus on crops, you will work on ways to improve processing, packing, and distributing food. Focusing on animals will allow you to find the best ways to preserve products during distribution and advice farmers on the best way increase production.
A career in Agricultural and Food Products Processing requires analytical and critical-thinking skills. You must be able to analyze data with precision and reach conclusions with good judgment and accuracy. This career also requires a strong background in sciences, specifically nutrition, agronomy and crop science, and food science. Depending on the type of food you wish to study, you may be required to have a background in applied chemistry, animal science, and biology.
The best way to gain experience in this field is through an internship. You will work with experienced scientists to learn how to properly conduct experiments, gather data, and analyze your findings.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most food processing degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. In addition to these basic food processing program qualifications, to serve in some food processing careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are various different levels of food processing degrees. You can spend many years getting as high as a in food processing to something that takes less time like a . Food Processing programs can take anywhere between one to four or more years for a full-time student to complete.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A doctor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to food processing, with approximately 18.4% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for food processing workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 34.0% |
| Doctoral Degree | 15.0% |
| Some College Courses | 11.4% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 8.9% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 8.8% |
The chart below shows what degree level those who work in food processing have obtained.
The education level required is different depending on the food processing career you are seeking.
Graduates who study Food Processing often find jobs as agricultural technicians inspecting food and crops to ensure they comply with safety standards. Other career possibilities include food science technicians, soil and plant scientists, and animal scientists. Typically, food scientists and technologists, as well as soil and plant scientists, earn a bachelor's degree, while most animal scientists earn a Ph.D.
Want a job when you graduate with your food processing degree? Food Processing careers are expected to grow 3.5% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to food processing.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Worker Supervisors | 49,700 | 2.1% |
| Agricultural Inspectors | 16,300 | 4.5% |
| Agricultural Sciences Professors | 13,600 | 7.9% |
Recently graduated food processing students earned an average of $74,405 in <nil>. Earnings can range from as low as $38,991 to as high as $76,052. As you might expect, salaries for food processing graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for food processing graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers food processing grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Sciences Professors | $90,890 |
| Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Worker Supervisors | $50,790 |
| Agricultural Inspectors | $45,970 |
With over 40 different food processing degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased food processing school rankings to help you with this.
One of 18 majors within the Agriculture & Agriculture Operations area of study, Food Processing has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Agricultural & Food Products Processing | 190 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | 8,951 |
| Animal Science | 8,178 |
| Agricultural Economics & Business | 8,140 |
| Horticulture | 3,591 |
| Veterinary Medicine | 3,468 |
