Food Science and Technologyat University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Graduates earn $49,303/yr in their first year — about 1.0% below the national Food Science and Technology average. Base-case 10-year earnings $599K; scenarios range from $551K to $606K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Minnesota
First-year earnings of $49,303 track close to the $49,845 national median for Food Science and Technology programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
A 9.1x earnings multiple over ten years puts this program in solid financial territory. Tuition is well-justified by projected earnings.
The 9% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Food Science and Technology career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.
At $19,887 in median debt against $49,303 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
A #14 ranking among 25 Food Science and Technology programs places University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.
A 42% earnings increase from $49,303 to $70,228 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Minnesota's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Food Science and Technology
How University of Minnesota stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Minnesota
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Minnesota, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Food Science and Technology offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Food Science and Technology trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Food Science and Technology at University of Minnesota
What does a 59/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Food Science and Technology at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities?
At 59/100, the score looks reasonable — but Food Science and Technology is a high-scoring field overall. Compared to peers, this program's earnings and ROI fall below the median.