Food Science Degree in Tallahassee, FL — Salary & ROI 2026
Food Science degree analysis for Tallahassee, FL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$45K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$69K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.8 yrs
in Tallahassee
Cost of Living
89
index (100 = avg)
Food Science in Tallahassee, FL Overview
Tallahassee, Florida (pop. 196,169) has 11 colleges offering Food Science programs. The local cost of living index of 89 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $733/month. Food Science enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Food Safety and Food Processing. The adjusted starting salary in Tallahassee is approximately $44,500, growing to $69,420 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
11
Public Tuition
$6,151/yr
Private Tuition
$31,072/yr
Room & Board
$9,944/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,707/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
61%
Food Science Salary in Tallahassee (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Tallahassee's cost of living index of 89 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Food Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Tallahassee adjustment factor: 0.89x based on the local cost of living index.
Food Science ROI Calculator for Tallahassee
Estimate your return on investment for a Food Science degree using local Tallahassee tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $6,151 | Private avg: $31,072
Tallahassee avg aid: $12,707/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$64,380
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,350
vs HS diploma in Tallahassee
ROI Payback Period
4.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Tallahassee
$362,820
Lifetime earnings premium ($427,200) minus total education cost ($64,380)
Student Loan Payoff for Food Science in Tallahassee
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Tallahassee for Food Science
Florida State University
public
$6,517/yr
$26,068 total
Florida A&M University
public
$5,785/yr
$23,140 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Tallahassee Community College
$3,120/yr
Top Employers for Food Science in Tallahassee
Tallahassee offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Food Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Tallahassee 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
Orlando, FL
$48K starting · COL 96
16 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
Cape Coral, FL
$49K starting · COL 97.8
7 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Tallahassee
Prompt Engineering
$45K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$85K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$76K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$78K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$73K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$71K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Food Science Degree in Tallahassee — 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 Tallahassee.