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Sector

Careers in Food & Beverage Manufacturing

Food and beverage manufacturing processes agricultural products into packaged foods. Moderate concentration at larger employers (5.1% at 250+) with mostly on-site production work.

1.7M
U.S. jobs
In this sector
$47K
Median salary
Across all roles
Food & Beverage Manufacturing jobs by metro area
Bubble size = total employment
Food & Beverage Manufacturing employment by metro ยท ~393 areas
1.New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ29K
2.Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN25K
3.Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA25K
4.Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX17K
5.Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX13K

Jobs per 100K workforce โ€” measures industry density

1.Sioux City, IA-NE-SD4,126.6
2.Gainesville, GA3,624.1
3.Sheboygan, WI2,283
4.Fort Smith, AR-OK2,102.1
5.Merced, CA2,068.7
BLS OEWS May 2024
Understanding this Sector
What it's like to work in Food & Beverage Manufacturing

Food and beverage manufacturing feeds communities at scale โ€” there's satisfaction in food production, tangible output everyone needs, and making products that fill grocery shelves. Many find meaning in essential manufacturing.

The challenge can come from safety requirements and thin margins. Food safety regulations are extensive; sanitation is constant. Margins are tight in many categories. Production schedules often include nights and weekends. Some processes are repetitive; others have seasonal peaks.

The field varies by product type and scale. Snack foods differ from frozen, dairy, beverages, or meat processing. Large branded manufacturers operate differently than private label producers or smaller regional companies. Production differs from quality, maintenance, or engineering.

For those who thrive here, the rewards are genuine: making food people eat, often stable employment, accessible entry in many roles, and manufacturing that serves basic needs. If you want food manufacturing careers, can work in production environments, and find satisfaction in essential products, food and beverage offers solid opportunities.

How people break in

Production roles accessible. Food science degrees for R&D. Quality assurance through food safety certifications.

Work environment tends toward
Shift workFood safety focusProduction environmentMajor employersQuality critical
Industries it connects to
ManufacturingRetailAgricultureLogistics
Salary vs. national average
-34%
$47K median vs. $71K national
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0K$15K$36K$150K$239K*387 metro areas across 50 states, sorted by salary level โ†’
Salary range across all food & beverage manufacturing roles
Where your dollar goes furthest
1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$89K
2. Boulder$75K
3. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$72K
4. Trenton-Princeton$69K
5. Durham-Chapel Hill$68K
BLS OEWS May 2024
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.

Median salaries range from ~$68K in mid-market metros to ~$100K in top-tier cities. But cost of living closes a lot of that gap โ€” metros with lower regional price parities often offer the best purchasing power.

Highest paying
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ยท $100K
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont ยท $85K
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria ยท $78K
Best purchasing power
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ยท $89K adj.
Boulder ยท $75K adj.
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria ยท $72K adj.
Most jobs
New York ยท 24.6M
Los Angeles ยท 16.4M
Chicago ยท 12M
BLS OEWS May 2024 ยท BEA Regional Price Parities

What the data says about this sector

Beyond salary and job counts โ€” signals that shape the day-to-day experience of working in Food & Beverage Manufacturing.

๐Ÿšช
Annual Quit Rate
Based on all Manufacturing data
18%
People tend to stay in Manufacturing. Lower turnover often indicates better working conditions or higher switching costs.
โ†“ 4%vs. 22% all industries
๐Ÿข
Typical Employer Size
Small-skewed
Small businesses dominate. More variety in roles but less formal structure and benefits.
82%
Small
<50
13%
Mid
50โ€“249
5%
Large
250+
๐Ÿ 
Remote / Hybrid Prevalence
mostly_onsite
Many roles can be done remotely. Location flexibility is a realistic expectation.
Mostly on-siteHybrid commonRemote-first
๐Ÿ“‹
Credential Density
Moderate
Most roles don't require formal credentials. Skills and experience matter more than certificates.
Few credentialsSome requiredMany required
๐Ÿค
Union Presence
Based on all Manufacturing data
~9%
Minimal union coverage means compensation is individually negotiated. Know your market rate going in.
โ†“ 9%vs. 11% all industries
BLS JOLTS 2024 ยท BLS QCEW 2024 ยท O*NET Work Context ยท BLS Union Members Summary 2024
Career Tracks

Career tracks in Food & Beverage Manufacturing

How jobs in this sector break down by function, and what they typically pay.

Transportation
10%
$43K median
Explore โ†’
Production
10%
$42K median
Explore โ†’
Admin & Office
9%
$49K median
Explore โ†’
Maintenance & Repair
7%
$49K median
Explore โ†’
Sales
7%
$46K median
Explore โ†’
Construction
6%
$47K median
Explore โ†’
Median salary for occupations employed within Food & Beverage Manufacturing. BLS OEWS May 2024.

Explore careers in Food & Beverage Manufacturing

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) ยท BLS JOLTS 2024 ยท BLS QCEW 2024 ยท O*NET Work Context ยท BLS Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034
Truest editorial: Industry narrative, sector context, career track mapping, working signals analysis.