Food Science Degree in Frederick, MD — Salary & ROI 2026
Food Science degree analysis for Frederick, MD. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$56K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$88K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.2 yrs
in Frederick
Cost of Living
112.5
index (100 = avg)
Food Science in Frederick, MD Overview
While Frederick has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Food Science students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $15,475/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Food Science enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Food Safety and Food Processing. The adjusted starting salary in Frederick is approximately $56,250, growing to $87,750 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,800/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,475/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,491/yr
Unemployment
4.2%
Graduation Rate
66%
Food Science Salary in Frederick (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Frederick's cost of living index of 112.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Food Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Frederick adjustment factor: 1.13x based on the local cost of living index.
Food Science ROI Calculator for Frederick
Estimate your return on investment for a Food Science degree using local Frederick tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,800 | Private avg: $42,000
Frederick avg aid: $13,491/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$105,100
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,875
vs HS diploma in Frederick
ROI Payback Period
6.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Frederick
$434,900
Lifetime earnings premium ($540,000) minus total education cost ($105,100)
Student Loan Payoff for Food Science in Frederick
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Frederick for Food Science
Frederick State University
public
$11,147/yr
$44,588 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Frederick Community College
$6,149/yr
Top Employers for Food Science in Frederick
Frederick offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Food Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Frederick Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Food Science Job Titles
Food Science in Nearby Maryland Cities
Baltimore, MD
$65K starting · COL 130
22 colleges
Columbia, MD
$64K starting · COL 127.2
4 colleges
Silver Spring, MD
$61K starting · COL 122.5
4 colleges
Waldorf, MD
$60K starting · COL 120.7
4 colleges
Ellicott City, MD
$57K starting · COL 114.2
3 colleges
Glen Burnie, MD
$54K starting · COL 108.8
3 colleges
Rockville, MD
$64K starting · COL 128.5
3 colleges
Bethesda, MD
$58K starting · COL 116.7
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Frederick
Prompt Engineering
$56K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$107K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$96K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$99K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$92K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$90K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Food Science Degree in Frederick — 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 Frederick.