Food Scientists and Technologists Salary
Food Scientists and Technologists in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD make a median of $78,260 a year, or about $37.63 an hour. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $108K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.45), which stretches that salary to about $90,526 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,154/month, or 22.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $78K get you in Sioux City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Sioux City’s Regional Price Parity (86.45). 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 Sioux City
Pay for food scientists and technologists in Sioux City runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $89K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,154/month, 23.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Sioux City can be a reasonable trade-off for food scientists and technologistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food scientists and technologists in metros near Sioux City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $77K | $84K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $100K | $97K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $102K | $97K |
| St. Louis | $108K | $114K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
Entry-level food scientists and technologists (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $108K or more, a $49K 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 Sioux City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food scientists and technologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Sioux City?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 23.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,154/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for food scientists and technologists in Sioux City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food scientists and technologists typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,505/month. At HUD’s $1,154/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Sioux City?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $78K here vs. $89K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Sioux City compare to the national average for food scientists and technologists?
Sioux City pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $89K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food scientists and technologists make in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD?
The median is $78,260 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,420, and experienced food scientists and technologists can clear $107,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Sioux City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,951/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,154/month, which eats 23.3% 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 Sioux City?
Sioux City has a Regional Price Parity of 86.45 (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 $90,526 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.