Food Science Degree in Oxnard, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Food Science degree analysis for Oxnard, CA. 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
4.8 yrs
in Oxnard
Cost of Living
111
index (100 = avg)
Food Science in Oxnard, CA Overview
Oxnard, California (pop. 202,063) has 17 colleges offering Food Science programs. The local cost of living index of 111 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,254/month. Food Science enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Food Safety and Food Processing. The adjusted starting salary in Oxnard is approximately $55,500, growing to $86,580 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
17
Public Tuition
$6,945/yr
Private Tuition
$55,924/yr
Room & Board
$12,995/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,812/yr
Unemployment
4.6%
Graduation Rate
74%
Food Science Salary in Oxnard (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Oxnard'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.Oxnard adjustment factor: 1.11x based on the local cost of living index.
Food Science ROI Calculator for Oxnard
Estimate your return on investment for a Food Science degree using local Oxnard tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $6,945 | Private avg: $55,924
Oxnard avg aid: $13,812/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$79,760
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,650
vs HS diploma in Oxnard
ROI Payback Period
4.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Oxnard
$453,040
Lifetime earnings premium ($532,800) minus total education cost ($79,760)
Student Loan Payoff for Food Science in Oxnard
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Oxnard for Food Science
California State University Channel Islands
public
$6,945/yr
$27,780 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Oxnard College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Food Science in Oxnard
Oxnard offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Food Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Oxnard Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Food Science Job Titles
Food Science in Nearby California Cities
Los Angeles, CA
$71K starting · COL 141
69 colleges
San Diego, CA
$70K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$65K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$57K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$59K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$56K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$58K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$66K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Oxnard
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
Astrophysics
$94K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$89K starting · 3 yr ROI
Food Science Degree in Oxnard — 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 Oxnard.