Food Scientists and Technologists Salary
Food Scientists and Technologists in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC make a median of $87,270 a year, or about $41.96 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $139K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.35), that's roughly $89,646 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,686/month, or 30% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $87K get you in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia’s Regional Price Parity (97.35). 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
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What this looks like in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia
Food scientists and technologists pay in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia tracks closely to the national median, $87K locally vs. $89K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,686/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.35) 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | $69K | $70K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $108K | $108K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
Entry-level food scientists and technologists (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $139K or more, a $100K 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
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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food scientists and technologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 30.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,686/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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food scientists and technologists typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,363/month. At HUD’s $1,686/month FMR, rent would take 71% 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $87K locally vs. $89K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia compare to the national average for food scientists and technologists?
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.35), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food scientists and technologists make in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC?
The median is $87,270 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,390, and experienced food scientists and technologists can clear $139,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,488/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,686/month, which eats 30.7% 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia has a Regional Price Parity of 97.35 (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 $89,646 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.