Food Science Degree in Medford, OR — Salary & ROI 2026
Food Science degree analysis for Medford, OR. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$56K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$87K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.1 yrs
in Medford
Cost of Living
111
index (100 = avg)
Food Science in Medford, OR Overview
While Medford has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Food Science students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $14,881/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 Medford is approximately $55,500, growing to $86,580 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,326/yr
Private Tuition
$41,865/yr
Room & Board
$14,881/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,464/yr
Unemployment
3.6%
Graduation Rate
67%
Food Science Salary in Medford (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Medford's cost of living index of 111 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Food Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Medford adjustment factor: 1.11x based on the local cost of living index.
Food Science ROI Calculator for Medford
Estimate your return on investment for a Food Science degree using local Medford tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,326 | Private avg: $41,865
Medford avg aid: $14,464/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$100,828
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,650
vs HS diploma in Medford
ROI Payback Period
6.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Medford
$431,972
Lifetime earnings premium ($532,800) minus total education cost ($100,828)
Student Loan Payoff for Food Science in Medford
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Medford for Food Science
Southern Oregon University
public
$10,326/yr
$41,304 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Rogue Community College
$4,536/yr
Top Employers for Food Science in Medford
Medford offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Food Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Medford Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Food Science Job Titles
Food Science in Nearby Oregon Cities
Portland, OR
$56K starting · COL 112
24 colleges
Eugene, OR
$65K starting · COL 130
14 colleges
Salem, OR
$60K starting · COL 120
14 colleges
Gresham, OR
$55K starting · COL 110.2
5 colleges
Hillsboro, OR
$58K starting · COL 115.5
5 colleges
Bend, OR
$54K starting · COL 107
2 colleges
Beaverton, OR
$53K starting · COL 105.9
4 colleges
Springfield, OR
$60K starting · COL 120.3
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Medford
Prompt Engineering
$56K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$105K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$94K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$98K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$91K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$89K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Food Science Degree in Medford — 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 Medford.