Also called: Cereal Scientist, Bakery Product Developer
Develops new breads, snacks, and baked goods at food companies, using grain and dough science.
You run test bakes to make a gluten-free bread that does not crumble, or a cookie with less sugar that still tastes great. You study how ingredients behave and scale recipes up for factories. Kansas State University even offers a degree in baking science.
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 food science or baking science; many have a master's.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Food Science, Baking Science & Management, Cereal Science, Chemistry.
Growing faster than average (about 6% over 10 years). Grouped with food scientists.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI models suggest formulas and predict texture, so fewer junior lab roles; test baking and tasting stay human.
Classes: Chemistry, Biology, Algebra II/Precalculus.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-1012.
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.