Food Science Degree in Laredo, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
Food Science degree analysis for Laredo, TX. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$45K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$70K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.2 yrs
in Laredo
Cost of Living
90
index (100 = avg)
Food Science in Laredo, TX Overview
Laredo, Texas (pop. 255,305) has 14 colleges offering Food Science programs. The local cost of living index of 90 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $982/month. Food Science enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Food Safety and Food Processing. The adjusted starting salary in Laredo is approximately $45,000, growing to $70,200 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
14
Public Tuition
$7,850/yr
Private Tuition
$40,249/yr
Room & Board
$9,561/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,889/yr
Unemployment
5.8%
Graduation Rate
60%
Food Science Salary in Laredo (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Laredo's cost of living index of 90 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Food Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Laredo adjustment factor: 0.90x based on the local cost of living index.
Food Science ROI Calculator for Laredo
Estimate your return on investment for a Food Science degree using local Laredo tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,850 | Private avg: $40,249
Laredo avg aid: $9,889/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$69,644
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,500
vs HS diploma in Laredo
ROI Payback Period
5.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Laredo
$362,356
Lifetime earnings premium ($432,000) minus total education cost ($69,644)
Student Loan Payoff for Food Science in Laredo
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Laredo for Food Science
Texas A&M International University
public
$7,850/yr
$31,400 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Laredo College
$2,604/yr
Top Employers for Food Science in Laredo
Laredo offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Food Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Laredo Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Food Science Job Titles
Food Science in Nearby Texas Cities
Houston, TX
$58K starting · COL 115
90 colleges
San Antonio, TX
$60K starting · COL 120
58 colleges
Dallas, TX
$52K starting · COL 104
82 colleges
Austin, TX
$54K starting · COL 107
30 colleges
Fort Worth, TX
$51K starting · COL 101
19 colleges
El Paso, TX
$47K starting · COL 93
38 colleges
Arlington, TX
$47K starting · COL 93.5
14 colleges
Corpus Christi, TX
$41K starting · COL 82
22 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Laredo
Prompt Engineering
$45K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$86K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$77K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$79K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$74K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$77K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$72K starting · 3 yr ROI
Food Science Degree in Laredo — 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 Laredo.