Food Science Technicians Salary
Food Science Technicians in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA make a median of $48,820 a year, or about $23.47 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $53,239 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month, about 39.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $49K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About food science technicians
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What this looks like in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Food science technicians pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $52K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,318/month, which is 40.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food science technicians in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Sioux City | $51K | $59K |
| Omaha | $52K | $57K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $67K | $64K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $58K | $56K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level food science technicians (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Food Science Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Food Science Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | $65K | +25% | 150 |
| Kentucky | $65K | +24% | 160 |
| Washington | $62K | +19% | 660 |
| Vermont | $61K | +17% | 50 |
| Illinois | $61K | +17% | 290 |
| Missouri | $60K | +14% | 150 |
| Nevada | $59K | +13% | 110 |
| Colorado | $59K | +12% | 270 |
| Florida | $59K | +12% | 250 |
| Minnesota | $58K | +11% | 380 |
| Maryland | $58K | +11% | 280 |
| Ohio | $57K | +9% | 230 |
| Massachusetts | $57K | +9% | 260 |
| New Jersey | $57K | +9% | 590 |
| Wisconsin | $56K | +7% | 540 |
| New York | $55K | +6% | 580 |
| California | $54K | +4% | 3,990 |
| Georgia | $53K | +2% | 260 |
| Michigan | $52K | +0% | 250 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -1% | 50 |
| Iowa | $51K | -3% | 420 |
| Oregon | $51K | -3% | 820 |
| Connecticut | $50K | -5% | N/A |
| Idaho | $49K | -6% | 560 |
| South Dakota | $49K | -6% | 100 |
| North Carolina | $49K | -7% | 130 |
| Nebraska | $49K | -7% | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | -8% | 590 |
| Texas | $48K | -8% | 900 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -9% | 50 |
| Arkansas | $47K | -10% | 140 |
| New Mexico | $47K | -11% | 120 |
| Utah | $45K | -13% | 80 |
| Indiana | $45K | -14% | 530 |
| Louisiana | $44K | -15% | 30 |
| Alabama | $41K | -21% | 30 |
| Kansas | $40K | -23% | 60 |
| South Carolina | $39K | -24% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 38 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track food science technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food science technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 40.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food science technicians typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,412/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $52K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for food science technicians?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food science technicians make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $48,820 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,200, and experienced food science technicians can clear $64,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,242/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 40.7% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median food science technicians salary is worth about $53,239 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.