Food Science Technicians Salary
Food Science Technicians in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD make a median of $50,710 a year, or about $24.38 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.45), which stretches that salary to about $58,658 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,154/month, about 34.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $51K get you in Sioux City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Sioux City’s Regional Price Parity (86.45). 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 Sioux City
Food science technicians pay in Sioux City tracks closely to the national median, $51K locally vs. $52K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,154/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food science technicians in metros near Sioux City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $49K | $53K |
| Omaha | $52K | $57K |
| 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, Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
Entry-level food science technicians (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $58K 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 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 Sioux City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food science technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Sioux City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 34.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,154/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 Sioux City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food science technicians typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,003/month. At HUD’s $1,154/month FMR, rent would take 58% 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 Sioux City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $51K locally vs. $52K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Sioux City compare to the national average for food science technicians?
Sioux City pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food science technicians make in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD?
The median is $50,710 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,390, and experienced food science technicians can clear $58,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Sioux City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,360/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,154/month, which eats 34.3% 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 Sioux City?
Sioux City has a Regional Price Parity of 86.45 (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 $58,658 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.