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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Food Science and Technology bachelor's degree at Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, MS · Public

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are below similar programs.

$30,933 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
61.3% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff
−120% · Negative payoff
Available price data
College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$39,940 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

Not availableEarnings growth, year 1 → 5Not available → $46,183
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
Not availableWorking in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
21Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
26Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

77Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
15Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
35Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
43Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$30,408Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$39,940$9,532 above the preliminary benchmark

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$17,595

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$24,475

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$39,940

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$259/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$17,595Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$29,267Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE77.6%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE66.7%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

Not availableYear 1
$39,940Year 4
$46,183Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

7.8% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$3,328
Estimated loan payment$259
26borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$39,940 vs. $70,873

$30,933 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.
Food Scientists and Technologists$88,720 median wageU.S. estimate · 13,060 jobs · 19-1012+6.2% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFood Science Technicians$51,460 median wageMS estimate · 50 jobs · 19-4013$37,580–$67,490 middle 50% of MS wages+4.8% projected U.S. growth · 3,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Associate's degreeAgricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary$69,930 median wageMS estimate · 230 jobs · 25-1041$47,050–$98,840 middle 50% of MS wages+2.9% projected U.S. growth · 800 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSeparating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$43,890 median wageMS estimate · 100 jobs · 51-9012$36,360–$55,920 middle 50% of MS wages-5.7% projected U.S. growth · 5,200 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentFood Batchmakers$36,530 median wageMS estimate · 660 jobs · 51-3092$34,870–$44,840 middle 50% of MS wages+6.5% projected U.S. growth · 23,100 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentFarmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers$95,210 median wageMS estimate · 80 jobs · 11-9013$61,110–$112,930 middle 50% of MS wages-3.4% projected U.S. growth · 70,800 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalentSoil and Plant Scientists$72,690 median wageMS estimate · 100 jobs · 19-1013$47,860–$96,100 middle 50% of MS wages+6.7% projected U.S. growth · 1,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFirst-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers$60,890 median wageMS estimate · 440 jobs · 45-1011$52,060–$79,200 middle 50% of MS wages+3.8% projected U.S. growth · 7,200 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Pomona, CA

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

$35,661 higher earnings · $6,977 less debt · $6,064 lower annual net price

Earnings
$75,601
Debt
$17,498
Annual net price
$11,531
View outcomes →
San Luis Obispo, CA

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

$35,526 higher earnings · $3,821 less debt · $930 lower annual net price

Earnings
$75,466
Debt
$20,654
Annual net price
$16,665
View outcomes →
Raleigh, NC

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

$32,842 higher earnings · $3,475 less debt · $292 lower annual net price

Earnings
$72,782
Debt
$21,000
Annual net price
$17,303
View outcomes →
Minneapolis, MN

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

$30,765 higher earnings · $3,425 less debt · $817 lower annual net price

Earnings
$70,705
Debt
$21,050
Annual net price
$16,778
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

21 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

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