Food Science Degree in Chesapeake, VA — Salary & ROI 2026
Food Science degree analysis for Chesapeake, VA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$46K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$71K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.3 yrs
in Chesapeake
Cost of Living
91
index (100 = avg)
Food Science in Chesapeake, VA Overview
Chesapeake, Virginia (pop. 249,422) has 12 colleges offering Food Science programs. The local cost of living index of 91 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $850/month. Food Science enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Food Safety and Food Processing. The adjusted starting salary in Chesapeake is approximately $45,500, growing to $70,980 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
12
Public Tuition
$11,558/yr
Private Tuition
$19,500/yr
Room & Board
$9,787/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,853/yr
Unemployment
3.8%
Graduation Rate
67%
Food Science Salary in Chesapeake (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Chesapeake's cost of living index of 91 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Food Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Chesapeake adjustment factor: 0.91x based on the local cost of living index.
Food Science ROI Calculator for Chesapeake
Estimate your return on investment for a Food Science degree using local Chesapeake tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,558 | Private avg: $19,500
Chesapeake avg aid: $9,853/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$85,380
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,650
vs HS diploma in Chesapeake
ROI Payback Period
6.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Chesapeake
$351,420
Lifetime earnings premium ($436,800) minus total education cost ($85,380)
Student Loan Payoff for Food Science in Chesapeake
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Chesapeake for Food Science
South University Virginia Beach
private
$19,500/yr
$78,000 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Tidewater Community College Chesapeake
$5,340/yr
Top Employers for Food Science in Chesapeake
Chesapeake offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Food Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Chesapeake Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Food Science Job Titles
Food Science in Nearby Virginia Cities
Virginia Beach, VA
$44K starting · COL 88
13 colleges
Arlington, VA
$71K starting · COL 142.5
9 colleges
Norfolk, VA
$47K starting · COL 93
16 colleges
Richmond, VA
$50K starting · COL 100
11 colleges
Newport News, VA
$46K starting · COL 92.5
7 colleges
Alexandria, VA
$51K starting · COL 102
8 colleges
Hampton, VA
$49K starting · COL 97
7 colleges
Roanoke, VA
$44K starting · COL 88.5
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Chesapeake
Prompt Engineering
$46K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$86K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$77K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$80K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$75K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$46K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$73K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$46K starting · 3 yr ROI
Food Science Degree in Chesapeake — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Food Science ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Chesapeake.