Food Scientists and Technologists Salary
Food Scientists and Technologists in Salem, OR make a median of $85,960 a year, or about $41.33 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $110K for experienced workers.
So what does $86K get you in Salem?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Salem’s Regional Price Parity (103.6). 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 Salem
Food scientists and technologists pay in Salem tracks closely to the national median, $86K locally vs. $89K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,560/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.6) 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 Salem, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $80K | , |
| Boise City | $73K | , |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $91K | , |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $99K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Salem, OR
Entry-level food scientists and technologists (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $86K. Top earners bring in $110K or more, a $46K 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 Salem numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food scientists and technologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Salem?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $86K, rent takes 30.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,560/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/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 Salem?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food scientists and technologists typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,830/month. At HUD’s $1,560/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 Salem?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $86K locally vs. $89K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Salem compare to the national average for food scientists and technologists?
Salem pays $86K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — below the national median.
How much do food scientists and technologists make in Salem, OR?
The median is $85,960 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,830, and experienced food scientists and technologists can clear $110,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $86K enough to live in Salem?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,155/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,560/month, which eats 30.3% 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 Salem?
Salem has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median food scientists and technologists salary is worth about $82,973 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.