Food Science and Technology at North Carolina State University at Raleigh

NC State's food science program lands squarely in the middle of the pack nationally, but outperforms most North Carolina alternatives—though you should know these numbers come from a small graduating class. At $50,631 in first-year earnings, graduates earn about $6,000 more than the typical NC food science graduate, placing this program in the 60th percentile statewide. The debt load of $21,000 creates a manageable 0.41 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates could theoretically pay off their loans with roughly five months of gross income.

The challenge here is understanding what "middle of the pack" means for a specialized field. Food science isn't engineering or computer science—these starting salaries reflect industry norms for technical roles in food production, quality control, and product development. What matters more is NC State's strong reputation with regional employers like PepsiCo, Bayer, and the Research Triangle's biotech firms. For students certain about this career path, the relatively low debt provides flexibility to pursue graduate education or accept entry-level positions that build expertise.

The small sample size means one or two graduates' outcomes could skew these numbers significantly. If your student is considering this major, verify current job placement rates directly with the department and talk to recent alumni about career trajectories beyond that first year.