Food Science Technicians Salary
Food Science Technicians in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA make a median of $44,900 a year, or about $21.59 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.77), that's roughly $44,119 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,729/month, about 55.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in Providence-Warwick?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Providence-Warwick’s Regional Price Parity (101.77). 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 Providence-Warwick
Pay for food science technicians in Providence-Warwick runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $52K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,729/month, which is 56.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.77) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for food science technicianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food science technicians in metros near Providence-Warwick, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $63K | $58K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
Entry-level food science technicians (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $23K 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 Providence-Warwick numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food science technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Providence-Warwick?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 56.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,729/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Providence-Warwick?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food science technicians typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,375/month. At HUD’s $1,729/month FMR, rent would take 73% 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 Providence-Warwick?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $45K here vs. $52K nationally.
How does Providence-Warwick compare to the national average for food science technicians?
Providence-Warwick pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do food science technicians make in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA?
The median is $44,900 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,590, and experienced food science technicians can clear $62,120. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Providence-Warwick?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,067/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,729/month, which eats 56.4% 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 Providence-Warwick?
Providence-Warwick has a Regional Price Parity of 101.77 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median food science technicians salary is worth about $44,119 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.
