Food Scientists and Technologists pay range in Salem
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $63,830 a year or less, while the top 10% make $110,170 or more. The middle half of food scientists and technologists in Salem earn between $71,260 and $101,590.
- $64K10th
- $71K25th
- $86KMedian
- $102K75th
- $110K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $88,720 | $7,393 | $42.65 |
| Median | $85,960 | $7,163 | $41.33 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $71,260 | $5,938 | $34.26 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $101,590 | $8,466 | $48.84 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Food Scientists and Technologists salary after taxes in Salem
On the average salary of $88,720, a single filer in Salem takes home about $64,783 a year, or $5,399 a month and $2,492 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Is Salem a good place for food scientists and technologists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Salem area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $88,720 buys what about $85,597 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Salem ($55,310). A typical home costs $454,689, or 5.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Scientists and Technologists salary in other Oregon cities
Salem ranks 1st of 2 Oregon metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Salem$88,720
- Portland$83,210
Highest-paying cities for food scientists and technologists
Boston, MA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($120,200).
- Boston, MA$120,200
- San Jose, CA$117,020
- Washington, DC$113,320
- San Francisco, CA$110,580
- New York, NY$110,190
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Food Scientists and Technologists salary in Salem: questions
How much do food scientists and technologists make an hour in Salem?
$42.65 an hour on average, and $41.33 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food scientists and technologists salary in Salem?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $63,830 a year and the 25th percentile is $71,260, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food scientists and technologists take-home pay in Salem?
About $64,783 a year ($5,399 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $88,720. Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Do food scientists and technologists earn more in Salem than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($99,884).
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 19-1012; area Salem, OR (41420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.9%.
- 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). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.03, this job is 2.0 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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