Food Scientists and Technologists Salary
Food Scientists and Technologists in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY make a median of $82,640 a year, or about $39.73 an hour. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $118K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.57), that's roughly $82,997 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,702/month, about 32.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $83K get you in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Albany-Schenectady-Troy’s Regional Price Parity (99.57). 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 scientists and technologists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Albany-Schenectady-Troy
Food scientists and technologists pay in Albany-Schenectady-Troy tracks closely to the national median, $83K locally vs. $89K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $1,702/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 99.57) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food scientists and technologists in metros near Albany-Schenectady-Troy, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $104K | $93K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $100K | $104K |
| Rochester | $90K | $93K |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $104K | $96K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
Entry-level food scientists and technologists (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $118K or more, a $49K spread from bottom to top.
Food Scientists and Technologists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Food Scientists and Technologists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $109K | +22% | 90 |
| Missouri | $106K | +19% | 390 |
| New Jersey | $104K | +18% | 630 |
| Massachusetts | $104K | +17% | 420 |
| Florida | $101K | +14% | 170 |
| Colorado | $100K | +12% | 320 |
| Minnesota | $99K | +12% | 670 |
| Kentucky | $99K | +11% | 170 |
| Alabama | $97K | +10% | 60 |
| Washington | $95K | +7% | 250 |
| Illinois | $94K | +6% | 780 |
| New York | $94K | +6% | 660 |
| California | $94K | +6% | 2,210 |
| Virginia | $94K | +5% | 70 |
| Maryland | $93K | +5% | 270 |
| Texas | $91K | +2% | 840 |
| Arizona | $90K | +2% | N/A |
| Maine | $89K | +1% | 30 |
| Rhode Island | $88K | -1% | 40 |
| Georgia | $86K | -3% | 560 |
| Kansas | $85K | -4% | 380 |
| Oklahoma | $85K | -4% | 50 |
| Arkansas | $84K | -5% | 310 |
| Pennsylvania | $83K | -6% | 400 |
| Wisconsin | $83K | -6% | 410 |
| Iowa | $82K | -8% | 380 |
| Tennessee | $82K | -8% | 70 |
| Oregon | $82K | -8% | 270 |
| Nevada | $81K | -9% | 50 |
| North Carolina | $80K | -10% | 230 |
| New Mexico | $79K | -11% | 30 |
| Idaho | $77K | -13% | 140 |
| Michigan | $77K | -13% | 430 |
| Ohio | $77K | -13% | 270 |
| Utah | $73K | -17% | 120 |
| Nebraska | $72K | -19% | 230 |
| South Dakota | $71K | -20% | 90 |
| Indiana | $69K | -22% | 300 |
| Montana | $52K | -41% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 39 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track food scientists and technologists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Albany-Schenectady-Troy numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a food scientists and technologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 32.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,702/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for food scientists and technologists in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food scientists and technologists typically earn — is $69K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,154/month. At HUD’s $1,702/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is food scientists and technologist a high-paying job in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $83K locally vs. $89K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Albany-Schenectady-Troy compare to the national average for food scientists and technologists?
Albany-Schenectady-Troy pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — below the national median.
How much do food scientists and technologists make in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY?
The median is $82,640 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,240, and experienced food scientists and technologists can clear $117,970. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,215/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,702/month, which eats 32.6% 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 scientists and technologists salary go in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
Albany-Schenectady-Troy has a Regional Price Parity of 99.57 (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 scientists and technologists salary is worth about $82,997 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do food scientists and technologists 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.