Food Science Technicians Salary
Food Science Technicians in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI make a median of $73,030 a year, or about $35.11 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.94), that's roughly $75,335 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,338/month, or 27.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $73K get you in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Milwaukee-Waukesha’s Regional Price Parity (96.94). 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha
Milwaukee-Waukesha sits well above the national pay line for food science technicians, local pay runs about 40% higher than the U.S. median of $52K. Rent runs $1,338/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.94) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food science technicians in metros near Milwaukee-Waukesha, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Madison | $48K | $49K |
| Appleton | $49K | $53K |
| 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, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Entry-level food science technicians (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $73K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $25K 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food science technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Yes — at the median salary of $73K, rent takes 28.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,338/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for food science technicians in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food science technicians typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,896/month. At HUD’s $1,338/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Local pay is 40% above the national median — $73K here vs. $52K nationally.
How does Milwaukee-Waukesha compare to the national average for food science technicians?
Milwaukee-Waukesha pays $73K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s +40%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food science technicians make in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
The median is $73,030 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,260, and experienced food science technicians can clear $73,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $73K enough to live in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,745/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,338/month, which eats 28.2% 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Milwaukee-Waukesha has a Regional Price Parity of 96.94 (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 $75,335 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.