Food Science Degree in Garden Grove, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Food Science degree analysis for Garden Grove, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$75K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$117K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.6 yrs
in Garden Grove
Cost of Living
150.3
index (100 = avg)
Food Science in Garden Grove, CA Overview
Garden Grove, California (pop. 172,646) has 7 colleges offering Food Science programs. The local cost of living index of 150.3 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $2,160/month. Food Science enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Food Safety and Food Processing. The adjusted starting salary in Garden Grove is approximately $75,150, growing to $117,234 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$14,500/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$17,153/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,754/yr
Unemployment
5.3%
Graduation Rate
66%
Food Science Salary in Garden Grove (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Garden Grove's cost of living index of 150.3 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Food Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Garden Grove adjustment factor: 1.50x based on the local cost of living index.
Food Science ROI Calculator for Garden Grove
Estimate your return on investment for a Food Science degree using local Garden Grove tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,500 | Private avg: $42,000
Garden Grove avg aid: $9,754/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$126,612
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$22,545
vs HS diploma in Garden Grove
ROI Payback Period
5.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Garden Grove
$594,828
Lifetime earnings premium ($721,440) minus total education cost ($126,612)
Student Loan Payoff for Food Science in Garden Grove
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Garden Grove for Food Science
Garden Grove State University
public
$13,746/yr
$54,984 total
University of Garden Grove
public
$14,677/yr
$58,708 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Garden Grove Community College
$6,550/yr
Top Employers for Food Science in Garden Grove
Garden Grove offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Food Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Garden Grove Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Food Science Job Titles
Food Science in Nearby California Cities
Los Angeles, CA
$71K starting · COL 141
69 colleges
San Diego, CA
$70K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$65K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$57K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$59K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$56K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$58K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$66K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Garden Grove
Prompt Engineering
$75K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$143K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$128K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$132K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$123K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$128K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$75K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$120K starting · 3 yr ROI
Food Science Degree in Garden Grove — 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 Garden Grove.