SOC 19-1012 · Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro

Food Scientists and Technologists Salary in Portland, OR

The average salary for food scientists and technologists in Portland, Oregon is $83,210 a year ($40.01 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $80,050: half of the 150 people in this job in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 13% less than the U.S. average for this job ($95,360).

$83,210average per year

$40.01 / hourMedian $80,050Take-home ≈ $61,389

  • $55K10th
  • $66K25th
  • $80KMedian
  • $97K75th
  • $117K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

150people in this job
-13%vs U.S. average
#2 of 2Oregon metros
105cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Food Scientists and Technologists pay range in Portland

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $54,990 a year or less, while the top 10% make $117,360 or more. The middle half of food scientists and technologists in Portland earn between $66,360 and $97,380.

  • $55K10th
  • $66K25th
  • $80KMedian
  • $97K75th
  • $117K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$83,210$6,934$40.00
Median$80,050$6,671$38.49
Entry level (25th percentile)$66,360$5,530$31.90
Experienced (75th percentile)$97,380$8,115$46.82

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Food Scientists and Technologists pay in Portland vs. Oregon and the U.S.

Food scientists and technologists in Portland earn about the same as the Oregon average ($84,820) and 13% less than the U.S. average ($95,360). At the median the gap is -10% against the U.S. median of $88,720.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Portland$83,210$80,050$54,990$117,360150
Oregon$84,820$81,660$58,390$118,250270
United States$95,360$88,720$52,920$145,28013,060

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Food Scientists and Technologists salary after taxes in Portland

On the average salary of $83,210, a single filer in Portland takes home about $61,389 a year, or $5,116 a month and $2,361 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.

The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in WA$67,368$5,614
Working in OR$61,389$5,116

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.

Oregon paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Portland a good place for food scientists and technologists? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Portland area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.4), so the average $83,210 buys what about $78,931 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Portland ($60,690). A typical home costs $552,022, or 6.6 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $83,210 is worth in another city

Food Scientists and Technologists salary in other Oregon cities

Portland ranks 2nd of 2 Oregon metro areas for this job; Salem pays the most ($88,720).

  • Salem$88,720
  • Portland$83,210

All Food Scientists and Technologists salaries in Oregon

Highest-paying cities for food scientists and technologists

Boston, MA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($120,200).

Food Scientists and Technologists salary by city

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Food Scientists and Technologists salary in Portland: questions

How much do food scientists and technologists make an hour in Portland?

$40.01 an hour on average, and $38.49 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level food scientists and technologists salary in Portland?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $54,990 a year and the 25th percentile is $66,360, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the food scientists and technologists take-home pay in Portland?

About $61,389 a year ($5,116 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $83,210. Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.

Do food scientists and technologists earn more in Portland than elsewhere?

The average here is 13% less than the U.S. average for this job ($95,360).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-1012; area Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA (38900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.7%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.48, this job is 1.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.