Food Science Technicians Salary
Food Science Technicians in Virginia make a median of $65,360 a year, or about $31.42 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $68,952 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 38.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $65K get you in Virginia?
About food science technicians
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What this looks like in Virginia
Virginia sits well above the national pay line for food science technicians, local pay runs about 25% higher than the U.S. median of $52K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 38.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level food science technicians (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Food Science Technicians salary by metro in Virginia
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $73K | +12% | 40 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food science technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 38.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food science technicians typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,835/month. At HUD’s $1,646/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 Virginia?
Local pay is 25% above the national median — $65K here vs. $52K nationally.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for food science technicians?
Virginia pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s +25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food science technicians make in Virginia?
The median is $65,360 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,250, and experienced food science technicians can clear $78,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,260/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 38.6% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $68,952 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.