Food Scientists and Technologists Salary
Food Scientists and Technologists in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR make a median of $94,770 a year, or about $45.56 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $159K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.36), which stretches that salary to about $106,054 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,147/month, or 19.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $95K get you in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway’s Regional Price Parity (89.36). 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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
Food scientists and technologists pay in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway tracks closely to the national median, $95K locally vs. $89K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,147/month, 19.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $103K | $113K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $94K | $91K |
| St. Louis | $108K | $114K |
| Kansas City | $105K | $114K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
Entry-level food scientists and technologists (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $95K. Top earners bring in $159K or more, a $111K 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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food scientists and technologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
Yes — at the median salary of $95K, rent takes 19.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,147/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for food scientists and technologists in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food scientists and technologists typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,884/month. At HUD’s $1,147/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $95K locally vs. $89K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway compare to the national average for food scientists and technologists?
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway pays $95K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $106K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food scientists and technologists make in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR?
The median is $94,770 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,060, and experienced food scientists and technologists can clear $159,240. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $95K enough to live in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,961/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,147/month, which eats 19.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a food scientists and technologists salary go in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway has a Regional Price Parity of 89.36 (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 $106,054 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.