Food Specialist Salary in the United States

How much does a Food Specialist make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Food Specialist in the United States is $30,913 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $15.

However, a Food Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $34,926
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $28,194 to $33,013
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $25,719
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View as table View as graph 25% $28,194 10% $25,719 90% $34,926 75% $33,013 $30,913 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Food Specialist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $33,013 $2,751 $635 $16
Average $30,913 $2,576 $594 $15
25th Percentile $28,194 $2,350 $542 $14
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Key Factors That Influence Food Specialist Salaries

A Food Specialist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Food Specialist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Food Specialist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $30,648
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $31,167
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $32,090
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $32,189
  • Expert (over 8 years): $32,255
Levels Salary
Entry Level Food Specialist$30,648
Intermediate Level Food Specialist$31,167
Senior Level Food Specialist$32,090
Specialist Level Food Specialist$32,189
Expert Level Food Specialist$32,255
$30,648 0 yr
$31,167 < 2 yrs
$32,090 2-4 yrs
$32,189 5-8 yrs
$32,255 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Food Specialist Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Food Specialists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $34,227.
  • California: $34,097.
  • Massachusetts: $33,642.

Top Paying Cities for Food Specialists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $38,990
  • San Francisco: $38,607
  • Oakland: $37,751

What Skills Can Increase a Food Specialist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 14.61% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Foodservice (Mentioned in 2.87% Job Postings): The foodservice or catering industry includes the businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home. It includes restaurants, school and hospital cafeterias, catering operations, and many other formats.
  • Catering (Mentioned in 1.44% Job Postings): Catering is the business of providing food service at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, hospital, pub, aircraft, cruise ship, park, festival, filming location or film studio.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 14.61%
Foodservice 2.87%
Catering 1.44%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Food Specialist's salary.
  • Generosity: Can increase your salary by up to 38%.
  • WFM: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
  • Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Generosity
$42,660
38%
WFM
$34,931
13%
Commitment
$34,313
11%
Analysis
$33,077
7%
Brand Awareness
$33,077
7%
Decision Making
$32,768
6%
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How Education impacts a Food Specialist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Food Specialists enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Food Specialist with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $32,120 and $34,508).

Food Specialist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Food Specialist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 8.8%
High School 50.8%
Associates 24.9%
Bachelors 15.0%
Masters 0.5%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Food Specialist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Food Specialist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Food Specialist

Salaries for a Food Specialist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $30,286 in 2023 to around $29,790 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Food Specialist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Food Specialist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$30,286
2024
$30,139
2025
$29,790
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $30,286
2024 $30,139
2025 $29,790
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Food Specialist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Food Specialist

Here are companies hiring for Food Specialist and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Food Specialist Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Food Specialist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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