Salary
Average Salary: $58,610
Expected Lifetime Earnings: $2,446,850
Like we touched on earlier, the pay range for food scientists spans pretty much from lower-average to upper-average, with a lot of super-average in between. And by super-average we mean average. Think $60,000 a year, give or take (source). Not great, definitely not bad.
Most food scientists, whether working for a private company, an organization, the feds, or a university, will receive a salary with benefits. These benefits come in real handy when, for instance, you feel like taking a well-deserved vacation, staying home when you have the sniffles and not worrying about lost hours, or getting that spot on your neck checked out by a doctor before it grows much bigger.
If you take the plunge for additional schooling and earn yourself a graduate degree or a PhD, you're more likely to find a good job in the research department (source) or doing fancy management or administration-related stuff, which tends to bring in more bacon.
Either way, with proper financial planning, a career in any of the various areas of food science should provide you with all the basic necessities—a comfortable lifestyle, insurance, a retirement plan, and the ability to send at least some of your kids to college (we said some, don't go overboard here).
Our advice? Get through undergrad first, scope out your prospects, and make your own call. By that point, you'll probably have a decent idea of your goals and the sort of career path that appeals to you.