Food Science and Technology at University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY · Public · Certificate
TradeSchoolWorth Score (Base Case)
63
Strong Growth
62
Base Case
59
Conservative
Earnings
$49,123/yr (0% vs median)
AI-Proof
Resilient (68% shielded)
Job Market
Very Large (130,500 openings/yr)
Future-Proof Earnings
Three scenarios modeling future earnings based on technology adoption rates and job market trends for Food Science and Technology graduates.
| Strong Growth Full Stability |
Base Case Moderate Changes |
Conservative Max Disruption |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $563K | $488K | $404K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 42.6x | 36.9x | 30.6x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 16.9x | 14.6x | 12.1x |
| Viable Career Paths | 8 of 8 | 8 of 8 | 8 of 8 |
| TradeSchoolWorth Score | 63 | 62 | 59 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as technology and market conditions evolve over time.
Program Tuition (In-State)
$13,212
Out-of-state: $33,406
Median Debt at Graduation
$20,481
5.0 months of Year 1 earnings
Career Paths
Where Food Science and Technology graduates typically work. Raw data — no blending. The scenarios above model how these factors interact. This field has roughly 130,500 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI-Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers | $87,980 | 85,500 | -1.3% | 63% |
| Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary | $86,350 | 800 | +4.1% | 50% |
| Food scientists and technologists | $85,310 | 1,200 | +6.5% | 65% |
| Soil and plant scientists | $71,410 | 1,700 | +5.4% | 51% |
| First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers | $59,330 | 8,500 | +2.5% | 72% |
| Separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders | $49,500 | 5,400 | -4.3% | 86% |
| Food science technicians | $49,430 | 3,200 | +4.8% | 64% |
| Food batchmakers | $40,790 | 24,200 | +6.9% | 88% |
Compare & Explore
Food Science and Technology Overview
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the TradeSchoolWorth Score for Food Science and Technology at University of Kentucky?
This program scores 62/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 59 (conservative) to 63 (strong growth) depending on market conditions.
How AI-proof is a career in Food Science and Technology?
We model three scenarios: Strong Growth (full career stability), Base Case (moderate changes), and Conservative (maximum disruption). In the base case, Food Science and Technology graduates retain 8 of 8 viable career paths. 10-year earnings range from $404,324 (conservative) to $563,140 (strong growth).
How many job openings are there for Food Science and Technology graduates?
The career paths mapped to Food Science and Technology have roughly 130,500 combined job openings per year nationally, making this a very large job market.
Is Food Science and Technology at University of Kentucky worth it?
In the Base Case, this program earns 36.9x its tuition over 10 years. Even in the Conservative scenario, the multiple is 30.6x. The narrow spread between scenarios shows how stable trade careers are compared to desk jobs.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Scenarios model earnings resilience using AI exposure data and BLS job growth projections.
"Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI.
Last updated 2026.