The Average Income Of A Pet Food Taster Might Surprise You

A pet food "taster" may not be as conventionally important as a surgeon or a teacher, but it's a role that's serving the $150 million pet care product industry. It might seem a little strange that humans are tasting what will ultimately end up in an animal's belly. When you think about it, though, it's quite important for pet foods as a product. Pets can't give verbal feedback, and while animal testing is used to see what pets prefer, human tasters add an extra layer of quality assurance for the buyers. After all, when a food smells awful to humans, it might not sell well even if cats or dogs love it.

According to Glassdoor and ZipRecruiter data, salaries for this gig range widely from about $20,000 to $80,000 a year, with an average of $24 an hour. At Nestlé Purina, the reported hourly median pay for dog food tasters hovers around $29 an hour, which can add up to a decent income. For interested job seekers looking for a unique role, this could potentially join the list of high-paying jobs that don't need a college degree. It's worth noting, however, that having a "keen sensory palate" and experience with nutrition and culinary arts will give you an edge with applications.

If pet food tasting doesn't qualify as a high-paying no-degree job, it's at least above average compared to the more common positions you can land without a college degree. Going by 2024 data from the Pew Research Center, the most common occupation for young female workers without a four-year degree is customer service representative. As for young men without a degree, it's driver/sales workers and truck drivers. Customer service and driver jobs had a median pay of around $20.59 and $20.56 an hour, respectively, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Pet food tasters, by contrast, sit at a median of $25 an hour, with many earning rates up to $29 per hour, which means you could be earning $8,000 to $15,000 more each year than the average customer service rep or delivery driver without needing a college degree. While these jobs may not be as lucrative as some easiest online side gigs, they may come with better security, benefits, and insurance that tip the scales in their favor.

The main catch is job availability; a pet food tasting job won't be easy to find. It's a niche job, and there aren't that many renowned pet food companies constantly looking for tasters. It also doesn't help that there seems to be an increasing chance you may be chasing ghost jobs diluting the pool of legitimate options. However, if you manage to get one, it could be an interesting way to boost your income without piling student debt.