Food Scientists and Technologists Salary
Food Scientists and Technologists in California make a median of $93,950 a year, or about $45.17 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $141K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $88,515 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 41.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $94K get you in California?
About food scientists and technologists
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What this looks like in California
Food scientists and technologists pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $94K locally vs. $89K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 42.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level food scientists and technologists (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $94K. Top earners bring in $141K or more, a $81K spread from bottom to top.
Food Scientists and Technologists salary by metro in California
17 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $111K | +18% | 50 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $99K | +5% | 380 |
| Merced | $96K | +3% | 40 |
| Fresno | $94K | -0% | 110 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $91K | -3% | 550 |
| Salinas | $90K | -4% | 30 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $90K | -4% | 60 |
| Visalia | $89K | -5% | 60 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $88K | -6% | 110 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $86K | -9% | 80 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $86K | -9% | 90 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $85K | -9% | 170 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $83K | -12% | 40 |
| Modesto | $81K | -14% | 80 |
| Napa | $80K | -15% | 80 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $80K | -15% | 50 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $66K | -30% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 17 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food scientists and technologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $94K, rent takes 42.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/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 California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food scientists and technologists typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,604/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 69% 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 California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $94K locally vs. $89K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for food scientists and technologists?
California pays $94K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — below the national median.
How much do food scientists and technologists make in California?
The median is $93,950 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,060, and experienced food scientists and technologists can clear $140,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $94K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,800/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 42.6% 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 California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (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 scientists and technologists salary is worth about $88,515 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.