Food Science Degree in Hampton, VA — Salary & ROI 2026
Food Science degree analysis for Hampton, VA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$49K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$76K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.2 yrs
in Hampton
Cost of Living
97
index (100 = avg)
Food Science in Hampton, VA Overview
Hampton, Virginia (pop. 137,148) has 7 colleges offering Food Science programs. The local cost of living index of 97 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,001/month. Food Science enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Food Safety and Food Processing. The adjusted starting salary in Hampton is approximately $48,500, growing to $75,660 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$7,217/yr
Private Tuition
$29,404/yr
Room & Board
$11,761/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,608/yr
Unemployment
6%
Graduation Rate
52%
Food Science Salary in Hampton (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Hampton's cost of living index of 97 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Food Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Hampton adjustment factor: 0.97x based on the local cost of living index.
Food Science ROI Calculator for Hampton
Estimate your return on investment for a Food Science degree using local Hampton tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,217 | Private avg: $29,404
Hampton avg aid: $10,608/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$75,912
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$14,550
vs HS diploma in Hampton
ROI Payback Period
5.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Hampton
$389,688
Lifetime earnings premium ($465,600) minus total education cost ($75,912)
Student Loan Payoff for Food Science in Hampton
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Hampton for Food Science
Hampton University
private
$29,404/yr
$117,616 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Thomas Nelson Community College
$5,340/yr
Top Employers for Food Science in Hampton
Hampton offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Food Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Hampton 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
Chesapeake, VA
$46K starting · COL 91
12 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
Roanoke, VA
$44K starting · COL 88.5
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Hampton
Prompt Engineering
$49K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$92K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$82K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$85K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$80K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$49K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$78K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$49K starting · 3 yr ROI
Food Science Degree in Hampton — 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 Hampton.