Food Science Degree in Orlando, FL — Salary & ROI 2026
Food Science degree analysis for Orlando, FL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$48K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$75K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.5 yrs
in Orlando
Cost of Living
96
index (100 = avg)
Food Science in Orlando, FL Overview
Orlando, Florida (pop. 307,573) has 16 colleges offering Food Science programs. The local cost of living index of 96 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $804/month. Food Science enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Food Safety and Food Processing. The adjusted starting salary in Orlando is approximately $48,000, growing to $74,880 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
16
Public Tuition
$6,368/yr
Private Tuition
$44,990/yr
Room & Board
$9,733/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,728/yr
Unemployment
6.5%
Graduation Rate
75%
Food Science Salary in Orlando (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Orlando's cost of living index of 96 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Food Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Orlando adjustment factor: 0.96x based on the local cost of living index.
Food Science ROI Calculator for Orlando
Estimate your return on investment for a Food Science degree using local Orlando tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $6,368 | Private avg: $44,990
Orlando avg aid: $11,728/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$64,404
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$14,400
vs HS diploma in Orlando
ROI Payback Period
4.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Orlando
$396,396
Lifetime earnings premium ($460,800) minus total education cost ($64,404)
Student Loan Payoff for Food Science in Orlando
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Orlando for Food Science
University of Central Florida
public
$6,368/yr
$25,472 total
Rollins College
private
$44,990/yr
$179,960 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Valencia College
$3,110/yr
Top Employers for Food Science in Orlando
Orlando offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Food Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Orlando Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Food Science Job Titles
Food Science in Nearby Florida Cities
Jacksonville, FL
$59K starting · COL 117
35 colleges
Miami, FL
$49K starting · COL 98
12 colleges
Tampa, FL
$51K starting · COL 101
26 colleges
St. Petersburg, FL
$49K starting · COL 97
22 colleges
Hialeah, FL
$39K starting · COL 78
22 colleges
Port St. Lucie, FL
$49K starting · COL 98.5
8 colleges
Tallahassee, FL
$45K starting · COL 89
11 colleges
Cape Coral, FL
$49K starting · COL 97.8
7 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Orlando
Prompt Engineering
$48K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$91K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$82K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$84K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$79K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$48K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$77K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$48K starting · 3 yr ROI
Food Science Degree in Orlando — 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 Orlando.