Food Scientists and Technologists Salary
Food Scientists and Technologists in Maine make a median of $89,480 a year, or about $43.02 an hour. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $122K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.7), that's roughly $91,586 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,281/month, or 22.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Maine. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
Where the paycheck goes
What $89K actually covers in Maine, month by month
About food scientists and technologists
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What this looks like in Maine
Food scientists and technologists pay in Maine tracks closely to the national median, $89K locally vs. $89K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,281/month, 23.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.7) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maine
Entry-level food scientists and technologists (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $89K. Top earners bring in $122K or more, a $66K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track food scientists and technologists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Maine numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a food scientists and technologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maine?
Yes — at the median salary of $89K, rent takes 23.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,281/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for food scientists and technologists in Maine?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food scientists and technologists typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,724/month. At HUD’s $1,281/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Maine?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $89K locally vs. $89K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Maine compare to the national average for food scientists and technologists?
Maine pays $89K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $92K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food scientists and technologists make in Maine?
The median is $89,480 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,300, and experienced food scientists and technologists can clear $122,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $89K enough to live in Maine?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,537/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,281/month, which eats 23.1% 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 Maine?
Maine has a Regional Price Parity of 97.7 (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 $91,586 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.