Food Science Degree in Waldorf, MD — Salary & ROI 2026
Food Science degree analysis for Waldorf, MD. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$60K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$94K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.8 yrs
in Waldorf
Cost of Living
120.7
index (100 = avg)
Food Science in Waldorf, MD Overview
While Waldorf has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Food Science students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $15,443/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 Waldorf is approximately $60,350, growing to $94,146 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,800/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,443/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,454/yr
Unemployment
3.4%
Graduation Rate
70%
Food Science Salary in Waldorf (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Waldorf's cost of living index of 120.7 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Food Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Waldorf adjustment factor: 1.21x based on the local cost of living index.
Food Science ROI Calculator for Waldorf
Estimate your return on investment for a Food Science degree using local Waldorf tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,800 | Private avg: $42,000
Waldorf avg aid: $12,454/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$104,972
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,105
vs HS diploma in Waldorf
ROI Payback Period
5.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Waldorf
$474,388
Lifetime earnings premium ($579,360) minus total education cost ($104,972)
Student Loan Payoff for Food Science in Waldorf
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Waldorf for Food Science
Waldorf State University
public
$10,152/yr
$40,608 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Waldorf Community College
$5,704/yr
Top Employers for Food Science in Waldorf
Waldorf offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Food Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Waldorf 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
Silver Spring, MD
$61K starting · COL 122.5
4 colleges
Frederick, MD
$56K starting · COL 112.5
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 Waldorf
Prompt Engineering
$60K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$115K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$103K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$106K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$99K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$60K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$97K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$60K starting · 3 yr ROI
Food Science Degree in Waldorf — 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 Waldorf.