Food Science and Technologyat Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Graduates earn $56,274/yr in their first year — about 13.0% above the national Food Science and Technology average. Base-case 10-year earnings $569K; scenarios range from $526K to $575K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Virginia Tech
Graduates earn $56,274/yr, edging above the $49,845 national average for Food Science and Technology — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.
A 9.2x earnings multiple over ten years puts this program in solid financial territory. Tuition is well-justified by projected earnings.
The 8% 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 $26,875 in median debt against $56,274 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
A #12 ranking among 25 Food Science and Technology programs places Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.
The limited growth from $56,274 to $66,527 over five years suggests earnings in this field plateau relatively early in one's career.
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 Virginia Tech'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 Virginia Tech stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Virginia Tech
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Virginia Tech, 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 Virginia Tech
What does a 60/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Food Science and Technology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University?
At 60/100, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's Food Science and Technology program delivers middling returns. School cost and personal fit become important decision factors.