Food Science Technicians Salary
Food Science Technicians in Pittsburgh, PA make a median of $48,970 a year, or about $23.55 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.67), which stretches that salary to about $51,727 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,299/month, about 38.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $49K actually covers in Pittsburgh, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Pittsburgh’s Regional Price Parity (94.67). 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 Pittsburgh
Food science technicians pay in Pittsburgh tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $52K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,299/month, which is 39.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.67 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food science technicians in metros near Pittsburgh, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $48K | $47K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $60K | $60K |
| Lancaster | $53K | $54K |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $55K | $58K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pittsburgh, PA
Entry-level food science technicians (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $18K 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 annually. We'll email you when Pittsburgh numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a food science technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pittsburgh?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 39.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,299/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 Pittsburgh?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food science technicians typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,554/month. At HUD’s $1,299/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Pittsburgh?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $52K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Pittsburgh compare to the national average for food science technicians?
Pittsburgh pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do food science technicians make in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median is $48,970 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,020, and experienced food science technicians can clear $54,720. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Pittsburgh?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,324/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,299/month, which eats 39.1% 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 Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh has a Regional Price Parity of 94.67 (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 $51,727 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.