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State Food Health Inspector Jobs (NOW HIRING)

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State Food Health Inspector information

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$24.5K

$54.9K

$99K

How much do state food health inspector jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 12, 2026, the average yearly pay for state food health inspector 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 does a State Food Health Inspector do?

A State Food Health Inspector is responsible for ensuring that food establishments comply with state health and safety regulations. They conduct inspections of restaurants, grocery stores, and other food service businesses to check cleanliness, food handling practices, and equipment safety. If violations are found, inspectors may issue citations or require corrective actions. Their work helps protect public health by preventing foodborne illnesses and enforcing hygiene standards. Inspectors also educate food workers on proper safety procedures and may investigate complaints from the public.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a State Food Health Inspector?

To thrive as a State Food Health Inspector, you need a solid understanding of public health principles, food safety regulations, and typically a bachelor’s degree in environmental health or a related field. Familiarity with inspection software, laboratory testing equipment, and certifications such as Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) are commonly required. Attention to detail, strong communication, and analytical thinking are crucial soft skills for addressing violations and educating stakeholders. These competencies ensure food establishments comply with safety standards, protecting public health and preventing foodborne illnesses.

What are some common challenges faced by State Food Health Inspectors during inspections?

State Food Health Inspectors often encounter challenges such as uncooperative staff, language barriers, or establishments not following proper record-keeping practices. Adapting to a variety of environments—from restaurants to food processing plants—requires inspectors to quickly assess compliance while maintaining professionalism. Inspectors must stay updated on evolving food safety regulations and effectively communicate findings to ensure corrective actions are taken. Balancing thorough inspections with a collaborative approach helps promote food safety while building positive relationships with business owners.

What is the difference between State Food Health Inspector vs Food Safety Officer?

AspectState Food Health InspectorFood Safety Officer
Required CredentialsRelevant health and food safety certifications, degree in food technology or public healthSimilar certifications, often with additional food safety management training
Work EnvironmentGovernment health departments, food inspection sites, markets, restaurantsFood production units, regulatory agencies, inspection sites
Employer & IndustryState government agencies, public health departmentsFood industry regulators, government agencies

Both roles focus on ensuring food safety and compliance with health standards. The State Food Health Inspector primarily conducts inspections at food establishments within the state, while the Food Safety Officer may have a broader role in overseeing food safety regulations across various sectors. Both positions require similar qualifications and work in government or regulatory environments, but their specific responsibilities and scope may differ slightly.

How do you become a state food health inspector?

To become a state food health inspector, candidates typically need a high school diploma or equivalent, with some states requiring postsecondary education in food science, microbiology, or a related field. They must complete relevant training or certification programs, gain experience in food safety or inspection, and often pass a state-specific exam to obtain licensure or certification before performing inspections in food establishments.

How hard is it to be a state food health inspector?

Becoming a state food health inspector requires passing a written exam, completing relevant training, and often obtaining certification or licensing. The job involves inspecting food establishments, enforcing health regulations, and may require attention to detail and knowledge of food safety standards, with work often conducted during regular business hours and sometimes involving physical activity. The difficulty varies based on individual background and experience in food safety or public health.

What states have the most State Food Health Inspector jobs?

States with the most job openings for State Food Health Inspector jobs include:

What are popular job titles related to State Food Health Inspector jobs?

For State Food Health Inspector jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various State Food Health Inspector job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 78% Full Time, 15% Part Time, and 6% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $54,939 per year, or $26.4 per hour.

Consumer Safety Inspector

Idaho Falls, ID • On-site

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Public Administration • 10K+ employees

$40K/yr

Full-time

PTO

Posted 11 days ago


United States Department Of Agriculture rating

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 25 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

$5,000 Sign on Bonus, Creditable Service for Annual Leave Accrual, Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, and Referral Bonus Awards are available.
Shifts and species will vary based on assignment. For add'l information call:
Grangeville: Dr. Sarah Kessler @ 509-309-5157
Idaho Falls, Jerome, Kuna, Twin Falls: Dr. Amber Talley @ 208-329-0569
Employee may be detailed to any shift at any plant in the Denver District.Qualifications:Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.
Specialized experience:
Specialized experience is experience that provided you with knowledge of the properties and characteristics of regulated food commodities or other products for human consumption. Such experience may have been acquired in work such as consumer safety inspector or inspection aide, food inspector, public health inspector, quality inspection specialist, or similar position with responsibility for sampling, quality control and sanitation in a food manufacturing or production environment, or similar environment for other ingestible items.
See specific grade level specialized experience definitions below.
For the GS-05 Level: Applicants must have at least 52 weeks of qualifying experience that provided knowledge of the properties and characteristics of regulated food commodities and substances; such as: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, or other food or beverages for human consumption, or other ingestible substances, such as pharmaceuticals. You are to show in your resume examples such as applying proper techniques for collecting samples and/or performing field tests and examinations (e.g. identifying abnormalities in the product or production environment and recommending corrective actions), developing written reports and/or reporting findings of results orally (e.g. documenting abnormalities in the product or production environment and communicating those findings to others), and/or skill in maintaining effective personal contacts with a variety of individuals (e.g. discussing findings with internal or external contacts regarding the food safety standards established in the production environment), or other similar work making determinations on products for human consumption or the production environment (e.g. ensuring conformance with established standards). Such experience may have been acquired working positions such as consumer safety inspector or inspection aid, food inspector, public health inspector, quality inspection specialist, or other related position.
For the GS-07 Level: In addition to the qualifications above, applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 level), and incumbents are expected to have performed standard and recurrent duties on an independent basis. Your resume should demonstrate at least 52 weeks of experience in independently carrying out routine, standard assignments on a regular and recurring basis that provided you with knowledge of the properties and characteristics of regulated food commodities and substances; such as: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, or other food for human consumption, and other ingestible substances, such as pharmaceuticals.
For the GS-08 Level: Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 level). In addition to the qualifications above, experience must include working with the Federal Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products Inspection Acts in order to inspect meat, poultry and egg products; working with basic SSOP and HACCP principles and practices in order to verify plant HACCP and SSOP responsibilities; performing basic mathematics and elementary statistical concepts and methods to perform testing and sampling procedures; and experience in reaching and interpreting conclusions.
For the GS-09 Level: Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-08 level). In addition to the qualifications above, incumbents are expected to have experience working at a more independent level than lower graded CSIs, which may include duties such as recommending refusal of exports and providing temporary coverage at locations outside of the official duty station.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Please view OPM's Qualifications Standards, Consumer Safety Inspector Series, GS-1862.
The duties of a Consumer Safety Inspector are performed in a hazardous working environment. For additional information, please click here. The below requirements are not an all-inclusive list. Failure to fully meet a functional requirement is not automatically disqualifying.Education:Education may be used to qualify in lieu of specialized experience as described below.
For the GS-05 level: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours/credits in any combination of coursework in the areas of: agricultural, biological, or physical sciences, food technology, epidemiology, home economics, pharmacy, engineering, or nutrition. Specialized government or military training may be creditable if it is related directly to this position.
OR
A combination of education and specialized experience. In this instance, only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree (with some related coursework, as described in number 2 above) is creditable towards meeting the requirements, along with specialized work experience. The combination must equal 100% of the requirement. For example, if you have 33% of the education requirement, then you will need 67% of the specialized experience requirement.
For the GS-07 Level: One full year of directly related graduate education is qualifying for GS-07.
OR
A combination of education and specialized experience. In this instance, only graduate education directly related to the work of the position is creditable towards meeting the requirements, along with specialized work experience. The combination must equal 100% of the requirement. For example, if you have 33% of the education requirement, then you will need 67% of the specialized experience requirement.
For the GS-09 Level: Two full years of directly related graduate education or a directly related master's degree is qualifying for GS-09.
OR
A combination of education and specialized experience. In this instance, only graduate education in excess of the first 18 semester hours directly related to the work of the position is creditable towards meeting the requirements, along with specialized work experience. The combination must equal 100% of the requirement. For example, if you have 33% of the education requirement, then you will need 67% of the specialized experience requirement.Employment Type: OTHER

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