Food Science Degree in Gilbert, AZ — Salary & ROI 2026
Food Science degree analysis for Gilbert, AZ. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$60K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$93K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.9 yrs
in Gilbert
Cost of Living
119
index (100 = avg)
Food Science in Gilbert, AZ Overview
Gilbert is one of Arizona's top college towns, with 26 institutions and a student population of 27,183. Public tuition averages $11,758/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. Food Science enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Food Safety and Food Processing. The adjusted starting salary in Gilbert is approximately $59,500, growing to $92,820 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
26
Public Tuition
$11,758/yr
Private Tuition
$26,400/yr
Room & Board
$19,092/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,808/yr
Unemployment
4.9%
Graduation Rate
49%
Food Science Salary in Gilbert (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Gilbert's cost of living index of 119 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Food Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Gilbert adjustment factor: 1.19x based on the local cost of living index.
Food Science ROI Calculator for Gilbert
Estimate your return on investment for a Food Science degree using local Gilbert tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,758 | Private avg: $26,400
Gilbert avg aid: $12,808/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$123,400
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$17,850
vs HS diploma in Gilbert
ROI Payback Period
6.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Gilbert
$447,800
Lifetime earnings premium ($571,200) minus total education cost ($123,400)
Student Loan Payoff for Food Science in Gilbert
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Gilbert for Food Science
University of Advancing Technology Gilbert
private
$26,400/yr
$105,600 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Chandler-Gilbert Community College
$2,580/yr
Top Employers for Food Science in Gilbert
Gilbert offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Food Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Gilbert Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Food Science Job Titles
Food Science in Nearby Arizona Cities
Phoenix, AZ
$76K starting · COL 152
72 colleges
Tucson, AZ
$58K starting · COL 116
24 colleges
Mesa, AZ
$55K starting · COL 110
31 colleges
Chandler, AZ
$62K starting · COL 124
22 colleges
Glendale, AZ
$53K starting · COL 105
16 colleges
Scottsdale, AZ
$63K starting · COL 126
16 colleges
Peoria, AZ
$52K starting · COL 103.8
7 colleges
Tempe, AZ
$57K starting · COL 113
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Gilbert
Prompt Engineering
$60K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$113K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$101K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$105K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$98K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$60K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$95K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$60K starting · 3 yr ROI
Food Science Degree in Gilbert — 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 Gilbert.