Food Science Technicians Salary
Food Science Technicians in North Carolina make a median of $48,640 a year, or about $23.39 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $52,493 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 38% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of North Carolina. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $49K get you in North Carolina?
About food science technicians
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Food science technicians pay in North Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $52K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 39.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level food science technicians (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $24K 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 North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food science technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 39.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/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 North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food science technicians typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,384/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 North Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $52K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for food science technicians?
North Carolina pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food science technicians make in North Carolina?
The median is $48,640 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,740, and experienced food science technicians can clear $63,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,244/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 39.6% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $52,493 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.