Food Science Technicians Salary
Food Science Technicians in Kennewick-Richland, WA make a median of $48,550 a year, or about $23.34 an hour. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers.
So what does $49K get you in Kennewick-Richland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kennewick-Richland’s Regional Price Parity (100.1). 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 Kennewick-Richland
Food science technicians pay in Kennewick-Richland tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $52K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $935/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.1) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food science technicians in metros near Kennewick-Richland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $80K | , |
| Yakima | $48K | , |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $52K | , |
| Twin Falls | $49K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kennewick-Richland, WA
Entry-level food science technicians (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $16K 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
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 Kennewick-Richland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food science technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kennewick-Richland?
Yes — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 27.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $935/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for food science technicians in Kennewick-Richland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food science technicians typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,535/month. At HUD’s $935/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Kennewick-Richland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $52K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Kennewick-Richland compare to the national average for food science technicians?
Kennewick-Richland pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.1), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do food science technicians make in Kennewick-Richland, WA?
The median is $48,550 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,250, and experienced food science technicians can clear $58,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Kennewick-Richland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,421/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $935/month, which eats 27.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a food science technicians salary go in Kennewick-Richland?
Kennewick-Richland has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median food science technicians salary is worth about $48,501 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.