Food Science Technicians Salary
Food Science Technicians in Colorado make a median of $58,540 a year, or about $28.14 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $56,446 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,832/month, about 46.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $59K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About food science technicians
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Colorado
Colorado sits well above the national pay line for food science technicians, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $52K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,832/month, which is 47.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.71) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level food science technicians (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Food Science Technicians salary by metro in Colorado
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $60K | +2% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track food science technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a food science technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 47.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,832/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for food science technicians in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food science technicians typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,483/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 53% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is food science technician a high-paying job in Colorado?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $59K here vs. $52K nationally.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for food science technicians?
Colorado pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food science technicians make in Colorado?
The median is $58,540 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,340, and experienced food science technicians can clear $82,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,875/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 47.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a food science technicians salary go in Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 103.71 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median food science technicians salary is worth about $56,446 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do food science technicians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.