Food Science Technicians pay range in Merced
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,350 a year or less, while the top 10% make $70,260 or more. The middle half of food science technicians in Merced earn between $46,880 and $70,260.
- $45K10th
- $47K25th
- $51KMedian
- $70K75th
- $70K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $56,410 | $4,701 | $27.12 |
| Median | $50,750 | $4,229 | $24.40 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $46,880 | $3,907 | $22.54 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $70,260 | $5,855 | $33.78 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Food Science Technicians salary after taxes in Merced
On the average salary of $56,410, a single filer in Merced takes home about $45,928 a year, or $3,827 a month and $1,766 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Merced a good place for food science technicians? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Merced area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.3), so the average $56,410 buys what about $57,400 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Merced ($47,220). A typical home costs $419,171, or 7.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Science Technicians salary in other California cities
Merced ranks 9th of 20 California metro areas for this job; Sacramento pays the most ($66,920).
- Sacramento$66,920
- San Jose$63,420
- San Francisco$63,340
- Napa$63,120
- Vallejo$61,670
- Santa Rosa$60,720
- Los Angeles$56,900
- San Luis Obispo$56,530
- Merced$56,410
- Modesto$55,930
Highest-paying cities for food science technicians
Columbus, OH pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($78,750).
- Columbus, OH$78,750
- Jacksonville, FL$77,640
- Louisville, KY$76,400
- Seattle, WA$72,940
- Chicago, IL$71,440
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Food Science Technicians salary in Merced: questions
How much do food science technicians make an hour in Merced?
$27.12 an hour on average, and $24.40 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food science technicians salary in Merced?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,350 a year and the 25th percentile is $46,880, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food science technicians take-home pay in Merced?
About $45,928 a year ($3,827 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $56,410. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do food science technicians earn more in Merced than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. metro average for this job ($57,192).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-4013; area Merced, CA (32900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.1%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 28.14, this job is 28.1 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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