Also called: Enology Lab Technician, Wine Lab Technician, Enologist (Lab), Cellar Lab Technician
Tests grape juice and wine in a winery lab for sugar, acid, alcohol and spoilage so the winemakers can make decisions.
During harvest you run 80 juice samples a day for sugar and acid, then check fermenting tanks for stuck yeast. Later you test finished wines for alcohol and sulfur before bottling and log every result.
Anchored on BLS food science technicians, May 2025 ($52,130 median; 10th about $40k, 90th about $79k).
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in chemistry, biology, food science or viticulture and enology.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Viticulture & Enology, Chemistry, Food Science.
Growing faster than average (about 5% over 10 years). BLS projects +5% for food science technicians, 2025-35; harvest brings many temporary lab jobs.
Medium risk for 10 years. Automated analyzers and lab software run more tests with fewer people; troubleshooting, tasting and judgment stay human.
Classes: Chemistry, Biology, AP Statistics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-4013.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.