Food Scientists and Technologists Salary
Food Scientists and Technologists in Merced, CA make a median of $96,430 a year, or about $46.36 an hour. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $150K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.28), that's roughly $98,118 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,503/month, or 24.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $96K get you in Merced?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Merced’s Regional Price Parity (98.28). 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 Merced
Food scientists and technologists pay in Merced tracks closely to the national median, $96K locally vs. $89K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $1,503/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.28) 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 Merced, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $91K | $80K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $99K | $86K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $85K | $80K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $88K | $83K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Merced, CA
Entry-level food scientists and technologists (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $96K. Top earners bring in $150K or more, a $88K 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 with published data
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 Merced numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food scientists and technologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Merced?
Yes — at the median salary of $96K, rent takes 25.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,503/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for food scientists and technologists in Merced?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food scientists and technologists typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,706/month. At HUD’s $1,503/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Merced?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $96K locally vs. $89K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Merced compare to the national average for food scientists and technologists?
Merced pays $96K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food scientists and technologists make in Merced, CA?
The median is $96,430 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,760, and experienced food scientists and technologists can clear $149,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $96K enough to live in Merced?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,927/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,503/month, which eats 25.4% 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 Merced?
Merced has a Regional Price Parity of 98.28 (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 $98,118 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.