Food Science Degree in Jackson, MS — Salary & ROI 2026
Food Science degree analysis for Jackson, MS. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$47K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$73K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.2 yrs
in Jackson
Cost of Living
93
index (100 = avg)
Food Science in Jackson, MS Overview
Jackson, Mississippi (pop. 153,701) has 11 colleges offering Food Science programs. The local cost of living index of 93 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $855/month. Food Science enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Food Safety and Food Processing. The adjusted starting salary in Jackson is approximately $46,500, growing to $72,540 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
11
Public Tuition
$8,684/yr
Private Tuition
$27,400/yr
Room & Board
$12,839/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,629/yr
Unemployment
4.6%
Graduation Rate
62%
Food Science Salary in Jackson (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Jackson's cost of living index of 93 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Food Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Jackson adjustment factor: 0.93x based on the local cost of living index.
Food Science ROI Calculator for Jackson
Estimate your return on investment for a Food Science degree using local Jackson tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,684 | Private avg: $27,400
Jackson avg aid: $14,629/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$86,092
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,950
vs HS diploma in Jackson
ROI Payback Period
6.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Jackson
$360,308
Lifetime earnings premium ($446,400) minus total education cost ($86,092)
Student Loan Payoff for Food Science in Jackson
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Jackson for Food Science
Jackson State University
public
$8,684/yr
$34,736 total
Belhaven University
private
$27,400/yr
$109,600 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Hinds Community College
$3,300/yr
Top Employers for Food Science in Jackson
Jackson offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Food Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Jackson Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Food Science Job Titles
Food Science in Nearby Mississippi Cities
Other STEM Majors in Jackson
Prompt Engineering
$47K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$88K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$79K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$82K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$76K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$79K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$47K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$74K starting · 3 yr ROI
Food Science Degree in Jackson — 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 Jackson.