Food Science Technicians Salary
Food Science Technicians in Kansas make a median of $39,930 a year, or about $19.2 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $71K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.54), which stretches that salary to about $44,595 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,066/month, about 39.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Kansas. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $40K get you in Kansas?
About food science technicians
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What this looks like in Kansas
Pay for food science technicians in Kansas runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $52K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,066/month, which is 39.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.54 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for food science technicianss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kansas
Entry-level food science technicians (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $71K or more, a $38K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track food science technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food science technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kansas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 39.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,066/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Kansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food science technicians typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,003/month. At HUD’s $1,066/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 Kansas?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $40K here vs. $52K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kansas compare to the national average for food science technicians?
Kansas pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do food science technicians make in Kansas?
The median is $39,930 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,390, and experienced food science technicians can clear $71,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Kansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,709/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,066/month, which eats 39.4% 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 Kansas?
Kansas has a Regional Price Parity of 89.54 (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 $44,595 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.