Food Science Degree in Waukegan, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Food Science degree analysis for Waukegan, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$45K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$70K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
8.6 yrs
in Waukegan
Cost of Living
90.3
index (100 = avg)
Food Science in Waukegan, IL Overview
While Waukegan has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Food Science students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $13,641/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 Waukegan is approximately $45,150, growing to $70,434 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$15,400/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$13,641/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,734/yr
Unemployment
5.1%
Graduation Rate
74%
Food Science Salary in Waukegan (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Waukegan's cost of living index of 90.3 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Food Science salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $95,000 senior level.Waukegan adjustment factor: 0.90x based on the local cost of living index.
Food Science ROI Calculator for Waukegan
Estimate your return on investment for a Food Science degree using local Waukegan tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $15,400 | Private avg: $38,000
Waukegan avg aid: $13,734/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$116,164
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$13,545
vs HS diploma in Waukegan
ROI Payback Period
8.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Waukegan
$317,276
Lifetime earnings premium ($433,440) minus total education cost ($116,164)
Student Loan Payoff for Food Science in Waukegan
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Waukegan for Food Science
Waukegan State University
public
$15,619/yr
$62,476 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Waukegan Community College
$4,848/yr
Top Employers for Food Science in Waukegan
Waukegan offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Food Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Waukegan Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Food Science Job Titles
Food Science in Nearby Illinois Cities
Chicago, IL
$55K starting · COL 109
98 colleges
Aurora, IL
$46K starting · COL 92.8
7 colleges
Joliet, IL
$54K starting · COL 108
12 colleges
Naperville, IL
$51K starting · COL 102
13 colleges
Rockford, IL
$45K starting · COL 90
8 colleges
Elgin, IL
$40K starting · COL 79
13 colleges
Springfield, IL
$46K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Peoria, IL
$52K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Waukegan
Prompt Engineering
$45K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$86K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$77K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$79K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$74K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$72K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Food Science Degree in Waukegan — 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 Waukegan.