Food Science Technicians Salary
Food Science Technicians in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN make a median of $84,320 a year, or about $40.54 an hour. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.07), which stretches that salary to about $90,598 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,272/month, or 23.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $84K get you in Louisville/Jefferson County?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Louisville/Jefferson County’s Regional Price Parity (93.07). 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 Louisville/Jefferson County
Louisville/Jefferson County sits well above the national pay line for food science technicians, local pay runs about 62% higher than the U.S. median of $52K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,272/month, 23.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.07 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Louisville/Jefferson County offers a genuinely strong financial position for food science technicianss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food science technicians in metros near Louisville/Jefferson County, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $45K | $47K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $67K | $64K |
| St. Louis | $66K | $70K |
| Cincinnati | $64K | $68K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
Entry-level food science technicians (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $33K 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 Louisville/Jefferson County numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food science technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisville/Jefferson County?
Yes — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 23.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for food science technicians in Louisville/Jefferson County?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food science technicians typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,224/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Louisville/Jefferson County?
Local pay is 62% above the national median — $84K here vs. $52K nationally.
How does Louisville/Jefferson County compare to the national average for food science technicians?
Louisville/Jefferson County pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s +62%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.07), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food science technicians make in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN?
The median is $84,320 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,730, and experienced food science technicians can clear $86,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in Louisville/Jefferson County?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,361/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 23.7% 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 Louisville/Jefferson County?
Louisville/Jefferson County has a Regional Price Parity of 93.07 (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 $90,598 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.