Food Science Degree in Silver Spring, MD — Salary & ROI 2026
Food Science degree analysis for Silver Spring, MD. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$61K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$96K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.4 yrs
in Silver Spring
Cost of Living
122.5
index (100 = avg)
Food Science in Silver Spring, MD Overview
While Silver Spring has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Food Science students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $14,215/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 Silver Spring is approximately $61,250, growing to $95,550 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,800/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,215/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,816/yr
Unemployment
4.1%
Graduation Rate
75%
Food Science Salary in Silver Spring (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Silver Spring's cost of living index of 122.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Food Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Silver Spring adjustment factor: 1.23x based on the local cost of living index.
Food Science ROI Calculator for Silver Spring
Estimate your return on investment for a Food Science degree using local Silver Spring tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,800 | Private avg: $42,000
Silver Spring avg aid: $10,816/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$100,060
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,375
vs HS diploma in Silver Spring
ROI Payback Period
5.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Silver Spring
$487,940
Lifetime earnings premium ($588,000) minus total education cost ($100,060)
Student Loan Payoff for Food Science in Silver Spring
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Silver Spring for Food Science
Silver Spring State University
public
$10,864/yr
$43,456 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Silver Spring Community College
$5,576/yr
Top Employers for Food Science in Silver Spring
Silver Spring offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Food Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Silver Spring Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Food Science Job Titles
Food Science in Nearby Maryland Cities
Baltimore, MD
$65K starting · COL 130
22 colleges
Columbia, MD
$64K starting · COL 127.2
4 colleges
Frederick, MD
$56K starting · COL 112.5
4 colleges
Waldorf, MD
$60K starting · COL 120.7
4 colleges
Ellicott City, MD
$57K starting · COL 114.2
3 colleges
Glen Burnie, MD
$54K starting · COL 108.8
3 colleges
Rockville, MD
$64K starting · COL 128.5
3 colleges
Bethesda, MD
$58K starting · COL 116.7
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Silver Spring
Prompt Engineering
$61K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$116K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$104K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$108K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$100K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$98K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Food Science Degree in Silver Spring — 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 Silver Spring.