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Food Inspector Salary Jobs (NOW HIRING)

MOSA

Contract Inspector

Viroqua, WI · Remote

Salary: Contract MOSA is always seeking experienced organic inspectors. Most of the inspectors who ... Minimum of 2,000 hours of experience and/or education in agriculture, food processing, and/or ...

City of Rock Island, IL

Health Inspector

Rock Island, IL · On-site

$55K - $82K/yr

Salary : $55,961.00 - $82,679.00 Annually Location : City Hall-1528 3rd Ave, Rock Island, IL 61201 ... Examples of Duties Inspects all restaurants, retail food stores, taverns, and any other ...

Intertek

Food Safety Auditor-Full Time

Boxborough, MA · On-site

Food Safety Auditor - United States - Remote This is a remote position with 85% travel; applicants ... and inspections. Salary & Benefits Information Individual compensation packages are based on a ...

State of Washington

Cherry Inspector- Chelan

Olympia, WA · On-site

$18.75 - $24.83/hr

Salary: $18.75 - $24.83 Hourly Location : Chelan County - Chelan, WA Job Type: On-Call Job Number ... We work extensively with farmers and ranchers, but our responsibilities - from ensuring food safety ...

State of Washington

Cherry Inspector- Yakima

Olympia, WA · On-site

$18.75 - $24.83/hr

Salary: $18.75 - $24.83 Hourly Location : Yakima County - Yakima, WA Job Type: On-Call Job Number ... We work extensively with farmers and ranchers, but our responsibilities - from ensuring food safety ...

State of Washington

Cherry Inspector- Brewster

Olympia, WA · On-site

$18.75 - $24.83/hr

Salary: $18.75 - $24.83 Hourly Location : Okanogan County - Other, WA Job Type: On-Call Job Number ... We work extensively with farmers and ranchers, but our responsibilities - from ensuring food safety ...

Town of Burlington

Health Inspector

Burlington, MA

$40/hr

Includes the inspection of food service establishments, housing, nuisance and other complaints, and ... Starting salary is $40.00 per hour with a maximum 19 hours per week. Please Note: MA General Laws ...

Town of Burlington

Health Inspector

Burlington, MA · On-site

$40/hr

Includes the inspection of food service establishments, housing, nuisance and other complaints, and ... Starting salary is $40.00 per hour with a maximum 19 hours per week. Please Note: MA General Laws ...

State of Washington

Grain Inspector 1

Olympia, WA · On-site

$45K - $60K/yr

Salary : $45,024.00 - $60,132.00 Annually Location : Clark County - Vancouver, WA Job Type ... We work extensively with farmers and ranchers, but our responsibilities - from ensuring food safety ...

CTE Solutions

Floor Inspector

Plymouth, IN · On-site

Salary: Build More Than a JobBuild a Career at SpiTrex CTE At SpiTrex CTE, we invest in our people ... Team events, Donut Fridays, food trucks, and more * Rewards:Referral bonuses, quarterly bonuses ...

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Food Inspector Salary information

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$24.5K

$54.9K

$99K

How much do food inspector salary jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 22, 2026, the average yearly pay for food inspector salary in the United States is $54,939.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $38,500.00 and $63,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What type of inspectors make the most money?

Food inspectors with specialized roles, such as senior or supervisory positions, tend to earn higher salaries. Inspectors working in large organizations or government agencies with advanced certifications and extensive experience also typically make more money.

What is the average salary of a food inspector?

The average salary of a food inspector in the United States typically ranges from $40,000 to $70,000 per year, depending on experience, education, and location. Entry-level positions usually start at the lower end of this range, while experienced inspectors or those in supervisory roles may earn more. Government agencies, such as the USDA or FDA, tend to offer competitive salaries and benefits. Salaries may also be influenced by the type of employer, such as federal, state, or local government versus private sector companies.

How much do food inspectors make?

Food inspectors in Pennsylvania typically earn an average salary ranging from $40,000 to $60,000 annually, depending on experience, certifications, and location. Entry-level positions may start lower, while experienced inspectors or those with specialized skills can earn higher wages. The job often requires knowledge of food safety regulations and inspection tools.

What is the highest paying food service job?

The highest paying food service jobs typically include executive chefs, restaurant owners, and food service directors, with salaries often exceeding $80,000 annually. These roles require extensive experience, leadership skills, and often advanced certifications or culinary training.

What is the difference between Food Inspector Salary vs Food Safety Auditor Salary?

AspectFood Inspector SalaryFood Safety Auditor Salary
Required CredentialsDegree in Food Technology, Microbiology, or related field; certification may be preferredSimilar credentials; often requires additional certifications in food safety standards
Work EnvironmentGovernment agencies, food processing units, inspection sitesConsulting firms, food companies, regulatory agencies
Employer & Industry UsagePrimarily government and public health sectorsPrivate sector, food manufacturing, and certification bodies

Both roles involve ensuring food safety and require similar educational backgrounds. Food Inspectors focus on compliance through inspections, while Food Safety Auditors assess overall food safety management systems. Salary differences depend on experience, location, and employer type, but both roles are vital in maintaining food safety standards.

Is it hard to become a food inspector?

Becoming a food inspector typically requires a relevant educational background such as a degree in food science, microbiology, or a related field, along with passing specific certification exams. The process may also involve on-the-job training and gaining experience in food safety standards, making it moderately challenging depending on individual qualifications and preparation.

What are some common challenges faced by food inspectors in their day-to-day work?

Food inspectors often face challenges such as staying current with frequently updated regulations, managing a high volume of inspections under tight deadlines, and dealing with uncooperative facility staff. They must also be vigilant in identifying potential health hazards and thorough in documenting their findings. Balancing public safety with maintaining effective working relationships with businesses is an essential part of the role.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Food Inspector, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Food Inspector, you need a background in food science, biology, or a related field, often supported by relevant certifications or a bachelor's degree. Familiarity with inspection tools, laboratory testing equipment, and food safety regulations such as HACCP is essential. Attention to detail, strong communication, and analytical thinking are key soft skills for effectively identifying and addressing food safety issues. These skills ensure compliance with safety standards, protect public health, and maintain the integrity of the food supply chain.
More about Food Inspector Salary jobs
What cities are hiring for Food Inspector Salary jobs? Cities with the most Food Inspector Salary job openings:
What states have the most Food Inspector Salary jobs? States with the most job openings for Food Inspector Salary jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Food Inspector Salary jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Food Inspector Salary jobs are:
Food Inspector Salary jobs near you
Infographic showing various Food Inspector Salary job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 65% Full Time, 30% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 95% In-person, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $54,939 per year, or $26.4 per hour.
Food Inspector 1 (NY HELPS) - Westchester County

Food Inspector 1 (NY HELPS) - Westchester County

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets

Yonkers, NY • On-site

$85K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 7 days ago

Job description

Harvest your potential with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets! Join our team and become an integral part of a team dedicated to fostering a competitive food and agriculture industry that benefits both producers and consumers alike. Here, you can cultivate your career in a dynamic environment that values innovation, sustainability, and community engagement. With a wide range of opportunities spanning from environmental science to economic development, you can find your niche in public service and grow both professionally and personally. Embrace the chance to join our team, and you’ll not only reap a fulfilling career but also sow the seeds for a healthier, stronger New York.
Position Information:
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets is seeking a permanent Food Inspector 1 or Trainee to conduct food safety inspections of food establishments to ensure sanitary, wholesome, and pure food in accordance with applicable laws and regulations in Westchester County, NY. The Food Inspector 1 or Trainee will prevent fraud, adulteration and misrepresentation in the processing, packaging, storage, distribution, and sale of food and food products by educating food establishment operators on applicable laws and regulations; sampling food products to verify food safety controls, product labeling, and contents; and issuing written notices, letters, and reports citing food establishment violations and enforcement actions.
The Food Inspector 1 or Trainee is a full-time position working 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday. This position may be based out of your home and requires travel within an assigned region. This is a perfect opportunity for a self-driven candidate who wants autonomy over their schedule and enjoys working outside of the office setting!
Salary:
The starting salary for the Food Inspector Trainee 1 is $53,764/ year, and the hiring salary for the PEF salary grade (SG) 14. This position requires the completion of a two-year traineeship. After successful completion of the first year of the traineeship, the appointee will advance without further examination to the Trainee 2 level SG-16 (starting salary of $59,994). Completion of the second year of the traineeship will result in permanent advancement to the Food Inspector 1, SG-18 (starting salary of $66,951) without further examination. Candidates may be eligible for appointment directly to the Trainee 2 or full performance level. For more information, see Advanced Placement below.
The full title Food Inspector 1 position is in the PEF Salary Grade (SG) 18. The starting salary of the PEF SG-18 is $66,951/year.

The candidate appointed at the Food Inspector 1, SG-18 level, will be eligible to participate in the New York State Performance Evaluation Program. Through this program, employees receive yearly performance evaluations. Performance advances are payable to PEF employees whose base annual salary is below the job rate for their current position and who were rated "Satisfactory" or its equivalent on their yearly performance evaluation. Performance advance payments are added to an employee's annual salary. Over time, yearly performance advances may lead to the SG-18 job rate salary of $85,138/ year!
Benefits:
This is a PEF-represented position that offers excellent benefits! Benefits include but are not limited to inexpensive Health Insurance options, free dental and vision coverage, NYS Pension Plan membership, and generous paid time off. Within the first year, you are eligible for 5 days of personal time, 13 vacation days, 13 sick days, and 13 paid holidays!
As a New York State employee, you could potentially qualify to participate in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)! The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on your direct student loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under an accepted repayment plan and while working full-time for the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets or another eligible employer.
NY HELPS Minimum Qualifications:
NY HELPS Qualifications: Applicants may be appointed to this position permanently if they meet these qualifications: Either 1. 120 semester credit hours which MUST include 24 credit hours in: chemistry, microbiology, food quality control, epidemiology, entomology, food technology, food science, food processing technology, food sanitation, dairy science, biology, environmental sanitation, environmental health, human physiology, genetics, animal science, nutrition/dietetics, or medical sciences;
Or 2. 60 semester credit hours which MUST include 24 credit hours in: chemistry, microbiology, food quality control, epidemiology, entomology, food technology, food science, food processing technology, food sanitation, dairy science, biology, environmental sanitation, environmental health, human physiology, genetics, animal science, nutrition/dietetics, or medical sciences AND two years of experience where your primary responsibility is in the areas of environmental health protection and sanitation of food establishments, or quality control of food products at a wholesale food manufacturing facility.
Advanced Placement: If you meet the minimum qualifications and have an additional one year of experience in which the primary responsibility involves the application of scientific techniques in the areas of environmental health protection and sanitation of food establishments or quality control of food products at a wholesale food manufacturing facility, you may be appointed to the Food Inspector Trainee 2. This will reduce the traineeship time by one year. If you meet the minimum qualifications and have an additional two years of experience in the areas listed above, you may be appointed to the full performance title, Food Inspector 1, Grade 18. You must inform the hiring agency of this additional experience at the time of interview.
Examples of Acceptable Experience: For the purposes of this examination, qualifying experience can be gained in jobs such as Environmental Health Technician, Sanitarian for food business, Food Inspector/Investigator, Meat Inspector, Quality Control Technician for a food processing plant or food warehouse, or Laboratory Technician with experience conducting analysis of food or dairy products.
Examples of Unacceptable Experience: Food Service Worker, Restaurant or Food Store Manager, Chef, Butcher, Caterer, Food Warehouse Foreperson, Food Warehouse Management, Food Comptroller, Beverage Comptroller, Food Production line worker, Banquet Manager, Steward, Food Equipment Salesperson, Food and Sanitation Equipment Salesperson, Food Broker, or Pesticide Applicator.
NY HELPS Program:
This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).
For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.
At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.
Alternate Minimum Qualifications:
You may also be eligible for appointment to this position if you meet any of the following minimum qualifications.
70.1 Transfer Qualifications to Food Inspector Trainee 1, NS: Applicants may be appointed to this position permanently if they have: one year of permanent, competitive service in a title designated as appropriate for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law. Such titles include Farm Products Grading Inspector 1, G-14.
70.1 Transfer Qualifications to Food Inspector Trainee 2, NS: Applicants may be appointed to this position permanently if they have: one year of permanent, competitive service in a title designated as appropriate for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law. Such titles include Farm Products Grading Inspector 2, G-18.
70.1 Transfer Qualifications to Food Inspector 1, G-18: Applicants may be appointed to this position permanently if they have: one year of permanent, competitive service in a title designated as appropriate for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law. Such titles include but are not limited to: Dairy Products Specialist 1, G-18.
70.4 Transfer Qualifications to Food Inspector Trainee 1, NS: Applicants may be appointed to this position permanently if they have: one year of permanent, competitive service in a Grade 11 title or higher AND
Either 1. 120 semester credit hours which MUST include 24 credit hours in: chemistry, microbiology, food quality control, epidemiology, entomology, food technology, food science, food processing technology, food sanitation, dairy science, biology, environmental sanitation, environmental health, human physiology, genetics, animal science, nutrition/dietetics, or medical sciences;
Or 2. 60 semester credit hours which MUST include 24 credit hours in: chemistry, microbiology, food quality control, epidemiology, entomology, food technology, food science, food processing technology, food sanitation, dairy science, biology, environmental sanitation, environmental health, human physiology, genetics, animal science, nutrition/dietetics, or medical sciences;
AND two years of experience where your primary responsibility is in the areas of environmental health protection and sanitation of food establishments, or quality control of food products at a wholesale food manufacturing facility;
AND received a passing score on the most recent Food Inspector 1 examination.
Reinstatement Under Rule 5.4: Applicants may be appointed to this position permanently if they were previous permanent New York State employees who resigned their positions may be reinstated to their former positions, or to positions to which they were eligible for transfer or reassignment without further examination. Employees separated from their positions may be reinstated within one year of the date of their separation. Employees separated from their positions who have also been separated from state service for more than one year may be reinstated upon approval by the state Civil Service Commission.
55-b/c Qualifications: Applicants may be appointed to this position permanently if they meet these qualifications: Either 1. 120 semester credit hours which MUST include 24 credit hours in: chemistry, microbiology, food quality control, epidemiology, entomology, food technology, food science, food processing technology, food sanitation, dairy science, biology, environmental sanitation, environmental health, human physiology, genetics, animal science, nutrition/dietetics, or medical sciences;
Or 2. 60 semester credit hours which MUST include 24 credit hours in: chemistry, microbiology, food quality control, epidemiology, entomology, food technology, food science, food processing technology, food sanitation, dairy science, biology, environmental sanitation, environmental health, human physiology, genetics, animal science, nutrition/dietetics, or medical sciences AND two years of experience where your primary responsibility is in the areas of environmental health protection and sanitation of food establishments, or quality control of food products at a wholesale food manufacturing facility.
Advanced Placement: If you meet the minimum qualifications and have an additional one year of experience in which the primary responsibility involves the application of scientific techniques in the areas of environmental health protection and sanitation of food establishments or quality control of food products at a wholesale food manufacturing facility, you may be appointed to the Food Inspector Trainee 2. This will reduce the traineeship time by one year. If you meet the minimum qualifications and have an additional two years of experience in the areas listed above, you may be appointed to the full performance title, Food Inspector 1, Grade 18. You must inform the hiring agency of this additional experience at the time of interview.
Examples of Acceptable Experience: For the purposes of this examination, qualifying experience can be gained in jobs such as Environmental Health Technician, Sanitarian for food business, Food Inspector/Investigator, Meat Inspector, Quality Control Technician for a food processing plant or food warehouse, or Laboratory Technician with experience conducting analysis of food or dairy products.
Examples of Unacceptable Experience: Food Service Worker, Restaurant or Food Store Manager, Chef, Butcher, Caterer, Food Warehouse Foreperson, Food Warehouse Management, Food Comptroller, Beverage Comptroller, Food Production line worker, Banquet Manager, Steward, Food Equipment Salesperson, Food and Sanitation Equipment Salesperson, Food Broker, or Pesticide Applicator.
Information about the Workers with Disabilities 55-b and the Veterans with Disabilities employment program 55-c can be found at 55b/c Recruitment Resources Center (ny.gov).
Travel Requirements:
These positions require extensive travel. Appointees must either possess at the time of appointment and continuously thereafter a valid driver’s license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State and have access to a motor vehicle when necessary or otherwise demonstrate their capacity to meet the regular transportation requirements in carrying out their field work responsibilities. Additionally, appointees are required to travel out-of-state for overnight trips on occasion due to ongoing trai...

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