IFT’s Compensation, Career Path Report Highlights Shifting Priorities in Food Science Careers

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) recently released the 2026 Compensation and Career Path Report, examining career trends in food science, including compensation, job satisfaction, and workplace challenges. The report is intended to serve as a useful tool for food professionals, HR managers in the industry, and food science academics and students.

The report is based on survey responses from more than 5,000 people in the food science community, with the first IFT compensation survey dating back to 1966. The survey includes data on compensation and career trends across various job titles and functions in the food industry, academia, government, and nonprofits. It covers salary breakdowns by geographic region, job function, gender, race, and more.

Highlights include:

• The median starting salary for professionals with less than one year of experience jumped from $58,000 in 2019 to $76,000 in 2026.
• The impact of scientific misinformation ranked as a top professional concern, followed by the environmental impact on the food system.
• More than a third of millennial respondents said they’ve considered leaving the food science industry, which was higher than other generational groups.
• Although most respondents weren’t concerned about the impact of AI on their jobs, AI was cited as a top priority for skills development.

“This year’s Compensation and Career Path Report reflects an industry at a turning point. There is clear evidence of opportunity; many food science professionals are advancing in their careers and seeing competitive compensation. At the same time, persistent issues around workforce satisfaction, equity, and shifting role expectations continue to shape the landscape,” said Bill McDowell, vice president of content at IFT and editor-in-chief of Food Technology. “The strength of this report is its grounding in data from more than 5,000 professionals across the global food system. It provides a clear, evidence-based view of where the industry stands and helps both individuals and organizations make more informed decisions about what comes next.”

At IFT First, Mary Ellen Kuhn, director of content and creative services at IFT, will dive deeper into the report and state of food science careers when she moderates a Hot Topics Community Conversation on “The Evolving Food Science Career Path,” on Tuesday, July 14 from 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. CT. Panelists will include: Aria Morrill, R&D Scientist at PepsiCo; Kamesh Ellajosyula, chief innovation and quality officer at Ofi; and Marie Kozlowski, founder at Wise Words LLC and key account manager at Givaudan.

IFT will also feature Ignite Your Career with Business and Leadership Skills sessions, a series of eight-minute talks focused on specific insights to strengthen leadership, communication, and strategic thinking skills, along with practical ideas that can be applied immediately.

Similarly, in 2025, IFT published a report on food science academic trends globally, including application and enrollment trends, areas of growing and declining interest, and other key influences.

In the coming weeks, IFT will release a white paper on workforce development, covering various challenges and opportunities for the industry. The IFT Food and Nutrition Security Steering Committee convened a workshop last year focused on four competency areas, including AI, regulatory and policy literacy, systems thinking and leadership, and science communications and consumer understanding.

On a related note, IFT will host a scientific session, “What Companies and Training Models are Essential to Prepare the Next Generation of Food Scientists for a Digitally Transformed Food System?” on Monday, July 13 from 11:00-11:45 a.m. CT. Panelists will include: Paige Luck, lecturer at North Carolina State University; Christine Ng, research fellow for future transformations at General Mills; Adam Yee, inventor at Umai Works; and Gabriel Keith Harris, professor at North Carolina State University.