Food Science Degree in Lafayette, LA — Salary & ROI 2026
Food Science degree analysis for Lafayette, LA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$52K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$81K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.6 yrs
in Lafayette
Cost of Living
104
index (100 = avg)
Food Science in Lafayette, LA Overview
While Lafayette has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Food Science students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $11,349/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 Lafayette is approximately $52,000, growing to $81,120 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$10,374/yr
Private Tuition
$38,796/yr
Room & Board
$11,349/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,367/yr
Unemployment
4.8%
Graduation Rate
66%
Food Science Salary in Lafayette (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Lafayette's cost of living index of 104 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Food Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Lafayette adjustment factor: 1.04x based on the local cost of living index.
Food Science ROI Calculator for Lafayette
Estimate your return on investment for a Food Science degree using local Lafayette tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,374 | Private avg: $38,796
Lafayette avg aid: $7,367/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$86,892
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,600
vs HS diploma in Lafayette
ROI Payback Period
5.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Lafayette
$412,308
Lifetime earnings premium ($499,200) minus total education cost ($86,892)
Student Loan Payoff for Food Science in Lafayette
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Lafayette for Food Science
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
public
$10,374/yr
$41,496 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
South Louisiana Community College
$4,236/yr
Top Employers for Food Science in Lafayette
Lafayette offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Food Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Lafayette Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Food Science Job Titles
Food Science in Nearby Louisiana Cities
New Orleans, LA
$45K starting · COL 90
23 colleges
Baton Rouge, LA
$41K starting · COL 82
16 colleges
Shreveport, LA
$50K starting · COL 99
14 colleges
Metairie, LA
$45K starting · COL 89.4
6 colleges
Lake Charles, LA
$40K starting · COL 80
6 colleges
Bossier City, LA
$44K starting · COL 87.8
3 colleges
Kenner, LA
$46K starting · COL 92.5
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Lafayette
Prompt Engineering
$52K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$99K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$88K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$92K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$85K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$83K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Food Science Degree in Lafayette — 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 Lafayette.