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Salmon vs tuna comes down to numbers USDA publishes and a chart FDA and EPA publish. This comparison puts six cooked salmon entries and two cooked tuna entries from USDA SR Legacy side by side per 3 ounces, adds four canned entries, and shows where each fish sits on the FDA and EPA “Advice about Eating Fish” chart, in FDA’s own terms. It takes no side; the figures and the agencies’ words do the comparing.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- In USDA data, 3 ounces of cooked bluefin tuna lists about 25.4 grams of protein and yellowfin tuna 24.8 grams, against 18.8 to 22.5 grams for the six cooked salmon entries.
- USDA lists cooked yellowfin tuna at about 0.5 gram of total fat per 3 ounces and the chinook salmon entry at 11.4 grams.
- The FDA and EPA chart puts salmon and canned light tuna in its lowest-mercury category, yellowfin and albacore tuna in the middle category, and bigeye tuna among its Choices to Avoid.
- FDA lists fish among the nine major food allergens and names both salmon and tuna as bony fish.
Salmon vs tuna, cooked: USDA values side by side
The table lists USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entries for salmon and tuna cooked with dry heat, at 3 ounces (85 grams). The percent Daily Value (%DV) uses the FDA Daily Values of 78 grams for total fat, 20 grams for saturated fat, 2,300 milligrams for sodium and 2.4 micrograms for B12; protein has no %DV here because the FDA labeling rule bases a protein %DV on an amount corrected for protein quality.
| Fish (USDA FDC ID) | Portion | Calories | Protein | Total fat (% DV) | Saturated fat (% DV) | Sodium (% DV) | Vitamin B12 (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salmon, Atlantic, wild (171998) | 3 oz (85 g) | 155 | 21.6 g | 6.9 g (9%) | 1.1 g (5%) | 48 mg (2%) | 2.6 mcg (108%) |
| Salmon, Atlantic, farmed (175168) | 3 oz (85 g) | 175 | 18.8 g | 10.5 g (13%) | 2.0 g (10%) | 52 mg (2%) | 2.4 mcg (99%) |
| Salmon, chinook (171999) | 3 oz (85 g) | 196 | 21.9 g | 11.4 g (15%) | 2.7 g (14%) | 51 mg (2%) | 2.4 mcg (102%) |
| Salmon, coho, wild (173719) | 3 oz (85 g) | 118 | 19.9 g | 3.7 g (5%) | 0.9 g (4%) | 49 mg (2%) | 4.2 mcg (177%) |
| Salmon, pink (172001) | 3 oz (85 g) | 130 | 20.9 g | 4.5 g (6%) | 0.8 g (4%) | 76 mg (3%) | 4.0 mcg (168%) |
| Salmon, sockeye (173692) | 3 oz (85 g) | 133 | 22.5 g | 4.7 g (6%) | 0.8 g (4%) | 78 mg (3%) | 3.8 mcg (158%) |
| Tuna, yellowfin (172006) | 3 oz (85 g) | 110 | 24.8 g | 0.5 g (1%) | 0.2 g (1%) | 46 mg (2%) | 2.0 mcg (83%) |
| Tuna, bluefin (173707) | 3 oz (85 g) | 156 | 25.4 g | 5.3 g (7%) | 1.4 g (7%) | 42 mg (2%) | 9.2 mcg (385%) |
Protein is where the cooked tuna entries stand out in USDA data: bluefin lists about 25.4 grams per 3 ounces and yellowfin 24.8 grams, while the salmon entries range from 18.8 grams for farmed Atlantic salmon to 22.5 grams for sockeye. Calories run the other way for yellowfin, which USDA lists at 110 calories per 3 ounces, against 118 to 196 calories for the salmon entries.
Fat separates the two fish most clearly. USDA lists cooked yellowfin tuna at 0.5 gram of total fat per 3 ounces, 1% of the FDA Daily Value, and bluefin at 5.3 grams. The salmon entries range from 3.7 grams for wild coho to 10.5 grams for farmed Atlantic and 11.4 grams for chinook, 15% of the FDA Daily Value. USDA keeps separate wild and farmed Atlantic salmon entries, and they differ: 6.9 grams of fat for the wild entry against 10.5 grams for the farmed one, so a figure from one entry does not describe the other.
For B12, USDA lists bluefin tuna at about 9.2 micrograms per 3 ounces, 385% of the FDA Daily Value, the wild coho salmon entry at 4.2 micrograms and yellowfin tuna at 2.0 micrograms. Sodium stays between 42 and 78 milligrams per 3 ounces for every cooked entry in USDA data. See also vitamin B12.
Canned salmon and tuna in USDA data
USDA SR Legacy also lists canned salmon and tuna. The table uses drained solids at 3 ounces (85 grams), with the same FDA Daily Values; USDA keeps separate entries for products canned without salt, so a figure from one entry does not describe the others.
| Fish (USDA FDC ID) | Portion | Calories | Protein | Total fat (% DV) | Saturated fat (% DV) | Sodium (% DV) | Vitamin B12 (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salmon, pink, canned, drained (175175) | 3 oz (85 g) | 117 | 19.6 g | 4.3 g (5%) | 0.8 g (4%) | 324 mg (14%) | 4.2 mcg (175%) |
| Salmon, sockeye, canned, drained (173693) | 3 oz (85 g) | 142 | 20.1 g | 6.3 g (8%) | 1.2 g (6%) | 347 mg (15%) | 4.7 mcg (195%) |
| Tuna, light, canned in water, drained (173709) | 3 oz (85 g) | 73 | 16.5 g | 0.8 g (1%) | 0.2 g (1%) | 210 mg (9%) | 2.2 mcg (90%) |
| Tuna, white, canned in water, drained (175158) | 3 oz (85 g) | 109 | 20.1 g | 2.5 g (3%) | 0.7 g (3%) | 320 mg (14%) | 1.0 mcg (41%) |
In USDA data, light tuna canned in water lists about 73 calories, 16.5 grams of protein and 0.8 gram of fat per 3 ounces of drained solids, and white tuna canned in water 109 calories and 20.1 grams of protein. Canned sockeye salmon lists 142 calories, 20.1 grams of protein and 6.3 grams of fat, and canned pink salmon 117 calories and 19.6 grams of protein, all in USDA data.
Sodium is higher in every canned entry than in the cooked ones in USDA data: 210 milligrams per 3 ounces for light tuna in water, 320 milligrams for white tuna in water, and 324 and 347 milligrams for the two canned salmon entries. USDA lists canned sockeye salmon at 4.7 micrograms of B12, 195% of the FDA Daily Value. The Nutrition Facts label on a can is the figure for that product; see also low sodium foods.
Salmon and tuna on the FDA and EPA mercury chart
FDA and EPA wrote their “Advice about Eating Fish” for people who might become or are pregnant or breastfeeding and for parents and caregivers feeding children, and a healthcare provider can answer questions about a specific situation. FDA says the chart “can help you choose which fish to eat, and how often to eat them, based on their mercury levels.” The FDA chart has three categories: a lowest-mercury category, a middle category, and “Choices to Avoid,” which FDA marks as the highest mercury levels. The table matches each USDA entry above to its name on the chart (advice revised October 2021).
| Fish (USDA FDC ID) | Name on the FDA/EPA chart | FDA/EPA chart category |
|---|---|---|
| Salmon, Atlantic, wild (171998) | Salmon | Lowest-mercury category |
| Salmon, Atlantic, farmed (175168) | Salmon | Lowest-mercury category |
| Salmon, chinook (171999) | Salmon | Lowest-mercury category |
| Salmon, coho, wild (173719) | Salmon | Lowest-mercury category |
| Salmon, pink (172001) | Salmon | Lowest-mercury category |
| Salmon, sockeye (173692) | Salmon | Lowest-mercury category |
| Salmon, pink, canned, drained (175175) | Salmon | Lowest-mercury category |
| Salmon, sockeye, canned, drained (173693) | Salmon | Lowest-mercury category |
| Tuna, light, canned in water, drained (173709) | Tuna, canned light (includes skipjack) | Lowest-mercury category |
| Tuna, white, canned in water, drained (175158) | Tuna, albacore/white tuna, canned and fresh/frozen | Middle category |
| Tuna, yellowfin (172006) | Tuna, yellowfin | Middle category |
| Tuna, bluefin (173707) | Not on the chart | Not on the chart |
FDA’s chart names salmon once, with no split by species or by wild and farmed, and places it in the lowest-mercury category. For tuna, FDA lists canned light tuna, which it says includes skipjack, in the lowest-mercury category, albacore or white tuna, canned and fresh or frozen, and yellowfin in the middle category, and bigeye tuna among the Choices to Avoid. Bluefin does not appear by name on FDA’s chart, so this table does not assign it a category.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, from USDA and HHS, say “mercury, in the form of methylmercury, is found in seafood in varying levels,” and describe seafood, “which includes fish and shellfish,” as a protein foods subgroup. FDA notes that its advice refers to fish and shellfish together as fish. Our types of fish guide places more species on FDA’s chart, and our swordfish guide covers one of the fish on FDA’s highest-mercury list.
Fish as a major food allergen
FDA lists fish, “like bass, flounder, and cod,” among the nine major food allergens. FDA’s allergen guidance (Edition 5, January 2025, nonbinding) lists bony fish “such as trout, flounder, bass, salmon, tilapia, cod, mackerel, tuna, and grouper,” and FDA says the law requires the species of fish to be declared, so the ingredient list or the “Contains” statement cannot simply say fish. FDA’s labeling rules do not replace an allergist’s advice about a specific fish.
More fish comparisons
Tuna vs salmon is one of several fish comparisons our guides cover with USDA and FDA data. Our single-fish guides cover trout, arctic char, mackerel, sardines and anchovies, and our salmon roe and sushi guides cover those foods. For rankings across foods, see lean protein foods and high protein foods. For a non-fish comparison in the same format, see brown eggs vs white eggs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which lists more protein, salmon or tuna?
In USDA data, cooked bluefin tuna lists about 25.4 grams of protein per 3 ounces and yellowfin 24.8 grams, against 18.8 to 22.5 grams for the six cooked salmon entries here.
Which lists more fat?
USDA lists the cooked salmon entries at 3.7 to 11.4 grams of total fat per 3 ounces, against 0.5 gram for yellowfin tuna and 5.3 grams for bluefin.
Where do salmon and tuna sit on the FDA mercury chart?
FDA and EPA put salmon and canned light tuna in the lowest-mercury category, albacore and yellowfin tuna in the middle category, and bigeye tuna among the Choices to Avoid.
How do canned salmon and tuna compare?
In USDA data, light tuna canned in water lists 73 calories and 210 milligrams of sodium per 3 ounces drained, and canned pink salmon 117 calories and 324 milligrams.
Are salmon and tuna major food allergens?
FDA lists fish among the nine major food allergens and names salmon and tuna as bony fish.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Brown Eggs vs White Eggs: What USDA and FDA Say, Salmon: Nutrition, Benefits and Wild vs Farmed Salmon, Tuna: Canned Tuna Nutrition, Mercury and Types Explained, Types of Fish: 23 Fish With USDA Values and the FDA Mercury Chart.