Prevailing Wage for Food Scientists and Technologists
Prevailing wage for Food Scientists and Technologists (SOC 19-1012) is set by the DOL across four experience levels, from entry-level Food Scientist to senior Corporate Food Scientist or Food and Drug Research Scientist. The floor varies significantly by city, so a Food Technologist offer in Boston clears a much higher bar than the same title in a smaller metro.
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Entry-level professionals new to the field, typically with a bachelor's or master's degree and limited independent work experience. Level 1 filings cover roles performing routine analyses and food safety testing under direct supervision, with little expectation of independent research design.
Qualified professionals with moderate experience applying food chemistry, microbiology, or food engineering principles with some independence. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Food Scientists and Technologists, reflecting mid-career hires who lead defined projects but work within established protocols.
Experienced professionals who independently design research programs, evaluate food processing methods, or lead product development initiatives. Level 3 applies to Food Technologists and Food Engineers who mentor junior staff and contribute technical expertise across multiple product lines or regulatory submissions.
Fully competent senior professionals setting technical direction, managing cross-functional food science programs, or serving as primary technical authority on safety, quality, or regulatory compliance. Level 4 covers roles like Senior Corporate Food Scientist with broad organizational impact and minimal supervisory oversight.
Prevailing Wage for Food Scientists and Technologists by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Food Scientists and Technologists and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch how food industry employers title roles
Titles like Food Engineer, Food Safety Regulatory Manager, and Food Technologist can be filed under different SOC codes by different employers. Confirm your offer letter title maps to SOC 19-1012 on the LCA, or the prevailing wage floor protecting you may differ from the one you expected.
Factor in bonus exclusions for R and D roles
Food science positions at CPG companies often include signing bonuses or annual performance bonuses that do not count toward prevailing wage compliance. Your base salary alone must clear the DOL floor for your level and worksite, regardless of total compensation package value.
Check sponsorship history before applying
Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored Food Scientists and Technologists, letting you focus on food manufacturers, ingredient companies, and CPG firms with a real track record of H-1B or green card filings for this occupation before you invest time in applications.
Understand why Gainesville GA pays far less than Boston
DOL sets prevailing wages using regional OES surveys, so a Food Scientist role in a low-density poultry processing metro like Gainesville, GA carries a floor roughly half that of Boston. The worksite address on your LCA, not your employer headquarters, determines which survey applies.
Jobs for Food Scientists and Technologists are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 19-1012.00 alongside Food Scientists and Technologists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Corporate Food Scientist Prevailing Wage
Corporate Food Scientist Prevailing Wage
Corporate Food Scientist positions fall under SOC 19-1012.00 (Food Scientists and Technologists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Food and Drug Research Scientist Prevailing Wage
Food and Drug Research Scientist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Food and Drug Research Scientist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-1012.00 (Food Scientists and Technologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Food Engineer Prevailing Wage
Food Engineer Prevailing Wage
Food Engineer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-1012.00 (Food Scientists and Technologists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Food Safety Regulatory Manager Prevailing Wage
Food Safety Regulatory Manager Prevailing Wage
Food Safety Regulatory Manager positions fall under SOC 19-1012.00 (Food Scientists and Technologists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Food Scientist Prevailing Wage
Food Scientist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Food Scientist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-1012.00 (Food Scientists and Technologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Food Technologist Prevailing Wage
Food Technologist Prevailing Wage
Food Technologist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-1012.00 (Food Scientists and Technologists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Formulator Prevailing Wage
Formulator Prevailing Wage
Formulator positions fall under SOC 19-1012.00 (Food Scientists and Technologists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Product Development Scientist Prevailing Wage
Product Development Scientist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Product Development Scientist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-1012.00 (Food Scientists and Technologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Research Chef Prevailing Wage
Research Chef Prevailing Wage
Research Chef is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-1012.00 (Food Scientists and Technologists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Research Scientist Prevailing Wage
Research Scientist Prevailing Wage
Research Scientist positions fall under SOC 19-1012.00 (Food Scientists and Technologists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Food Scientists and Technologists?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, broken out by metropolitan area. For each area, DOL calculates four wage levels based on the distribution of wages actually paid to workers in SOC 19-1012. OFLC publishes these figures, and employers must pay at least the level matching the position's scope before filing an LCA or PERM application.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I figure out which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry-level work under close supervision. Level 2 reflects moderate independent practice and is the most common filing level for Food Scientists and Technologists. Level 3 applies to experienced professionals with significant project ownership. Level 4 covers senior or lead roles with broad technical authority. DOL guidance ties each level to the complexity and independence of the actual duties described in the LCA, not just the job title.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same food science role vary so much by city?
DOL sets wages using metropolitan-area OES surveys, so the floor reflects what employers in that specific labor market actually pay. Dense markets like Boston, with high concentrations of biotech, CPG, and ingredient firms competing for food science talent, produce higher survey medians. Smaller processing-hub metros produce lower ones. The worksite address listed on the LCA, not the employer's headquarters, determines which metro survey governs your floor.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify an LCA or file a PERM application unless the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable prevailing wage for the worksite and level. USCIS and DOL both review this during adjudication. If the offer falls short, the employer must either raise the salary or reclassify the position at a lower level with duties that genuinely match that level. Misrepresenting duties to justify a lower level creates compliance risk for the employer.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Food Scientists and Technologists role in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 19-1012 for any metropolitan area. Enter the occupation code and select your target metro to see the current L1 through L4 floors. For additional context on which employers have sponsored this role and in which cities, Migrate Mate filters sponsored food science listings by location, letting you cross-reference actual job postings against the DOL wage data you find through OFLC.
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