Food Science Degree in Norfolk, VA — Salary & ROI 2026
Food Science degree analysis for Norfolk, VA. 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
5.7 yrs
in Norfolk
Cost of Living
93
index (100 = avg)
Food Science in Norfolk, VA Overview
Norfolk, Virginia (pop. 238,005) has 16 colleges offering Food Science programs. The local cost of living index of 93 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $956/month. Food Science enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Food Safety and Food Processing. The adjusted starting salary in Norfolk is approximately $46,500, growing to $72,540 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
16
Public Tuition
$10,571/yr
Private Tuition
$25,348/yr
Room & Board
$9,443/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,816/yr
Unemployment
4.6%
Graduation Rate
49%
Food Science Salary in Norfolk (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Norfolk'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.Norfolk adjustment factor: 0.93x based on the local cost of living index.
Food Science ROI Calculator for Norfolk
Estimate your return on investment for a Food Science degree using local Norfolk tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,571 | Private avg: $25,348
Norfolk avg aid: $15,816/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$80,056
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,950
vs HS diploma in Norfolk
ROI Payback Period
5.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Norfolk
$366,344
Lifetime earnings premium ($446,400) minus total education cost ($80,056)
Student Loan Payoff for Food Science in Norfolk
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Norfolk for Food Science
Old Dominion University
public
$11,210/yr
$44,840 total
Norfolk State University
public
$9,932/yr
$39,728 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Tidewater Community College Norfolk
$5,340/yr
Top Employers for Food Science in Norfolk
Norfolk offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Food Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Norfolk 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
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
Hampton, VA
$49K starting · COL 97
7 colleges
Roanoke, VA
$44K starting · COL 88.5
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Norfolk
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
Actuarial Science
$47K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$74K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$47K starting · 3 yr ROI
Food Science Degree in Norfolk — 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 Norfolk.