Food Science and Technology graduates from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign earn $66,226 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $18,000.
Food Science and Technology at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, Illinois • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Food Science and Technology at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Food Science and Technology at the bachelor's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 77 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $66,226 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $65,898 across all institutions offering Food Science and Technology, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the mean median-earnings figure is $80,130, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Food Science and Technology graduates at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is $18,000, which translates to roughly $150 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.27 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Food Science and Technology at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | $85,445 | — |
| Cornell University | $84,147 | $14,749 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | $83,112 | $25,000 |
| Rutgers University-New Brunswick | $80,979 | $26,754 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | $80,161 | $26,875 |
| Kansas State University | $78,367 | $23,187 |
| University of Massachusetts-Amherst | $77,771 | — |
| California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | $75,601 | $22,350 |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | $75,466 | $19,500 |
| Purdue University-Main Campus | $75,060 | — |
Other Programs at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $181,981 | $18,983 |
| Computer Science | $179,395 | $18,835 |
| Physics | $163,024 | — |
| Computer Engineering | $159,855 | $20,500 |
| Mathematics and Computer Science | $155,503 | $21,500 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $151,907 | $37,154 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $146,946 | $19,199 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $142,725 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $134,287 | — |
| Veterinary Medicine | $133,973 | $196,772 |
View all 125 programs at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign →
Other Schools with Food Science and Technology
Quick picks offering the same program — compare side by side
About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.