Food Scientists and Technologists Salary
Food Scientists and Technologists in Lansing-East Lansing, MI make a median of $63,030 a year, or about $30.3 an hour. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $147K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.99), which stretches that salary to about $66,354 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,268/month, about 30.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $63K get you in Lansing-East Lansing?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lansing-East Lansing’s Regional Price Parity (94.99). 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 Lansing-East Lansing
Pay for food scientists and technologists in Lansing-East Lansing runs about 29% below the U.S. median of $89K. Rent runs $1,268/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.99 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food scientists and technologists in metros near Lansing-East Lansing, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $68K | $68K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $79K | $82K |
| Ann Arbor | $105K | $105K |
| Cincinnati | $90K | $95K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lansing-East Lansing, MI
Entry-level food scientists and technologists (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $147K or more, a $90K 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 Lansing-East Lansing numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food scientists and technologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lansing-East Lansing?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 30.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,268/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 scientists and technologists in Lansing-East Lansing?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food scientists and technologists typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,386/month. At HUD’s $1,268/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Lansing-East Lansing?
Local pay runs 29% below the national median — $63K here vs. $89K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Lansing-East Lansing compare to the national average for food scientists and technologists?
Lansing-East Lansing pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s -29%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.99), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — below the national median.
How much do food scientists and technologists make in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?
The median is $63,030 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,440, and experienced food scientists and technologists can clear $146,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Lansing-East Lansing?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,167/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,268/month, which eats 30.4% 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 Lansing-East Lansing?
Lansing-East Lansing has a Regional Price Parity of 94.99 (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 $66,354 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.