Food Scientists and Technologists Salary
Food Scientists and Technologists in Raleigh-Cary, NC make a median of $68,590 a year, or about $32.98 an hour. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $138K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.16), that's roughly $69,876 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,750/month, about 38.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $69K get you in Raleigh-Cary?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Raleigh-Cary’s Regional Price Parity (98.16). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Raleigh-Cary
Pay for food scientists and technologists in Raleigh-Cary runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $89K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,750/month, which is 39.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.16) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for food scientists and technologistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food scientists and technologists in metros near Raleigh-Cary, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $87K | $90K |
| 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, Raleigh-Cary, NC
Entry-level food scientists and technologists (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $69K. Top earners bring in $138K or more, a $86K 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 Raleigh-Cary numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a food scientists and technologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Raleigh-Cary?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $69K, rent takes 39.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,750/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 Raleigh-Cary?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food scientists and technologists typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,170/month. At HUD’s $1,750/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Raleigh-Cary?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $69K here vs. $89K nationally.
How does Raleigh-Cary compare to the national average for food scientists and technologists?
Raleigh-Cary pays $69K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — below the national median.
How much do food scientists and technologists make in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
The median is $68,590 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,840, and experienced food scientists and technologists can clear $138,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $69K enough to live in Raleigh-Cary?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,463/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,750/month, which eats 39.2% 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 Raleigh-Cary?
Raleigh-Cary has a Regional Price Parity of 98.16 (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 $69,876 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.