Best cities for a food scientist
The best cities for food scientists are Oakland, CA, Wichita, KS, and Hempstead, NY, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for food scientists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for food scientists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a food scientist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for food scientists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for food scientists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a food scientist. While the absolute best city for food scientists is Oakland, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for food scientists in 2024.
If you're looking for a food scientist job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for food scientists in 2025
1. Oakland, CA
Total food scientist jobs: 7 Average annual salary: $89,059 Lowest 10 percent warn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $159,000 Location quotient: 26.13 2. Wichita, KS
Total food scientist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $82,596 Lowest 10 percent warn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000 Location quotient: 8.40 3. Hempstead, NY
Total food scientist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $80,900 Lowest 10 percent warn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location quotient: 214.81 4. Cincinnati, OH
Total food scientist jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $83,415 Lowest 10 percent warn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000 Location quotient: 8.26 5. San Francisco, CA
Total food scientist jobs: 20 Average annual salary: $89,229 Lowest 10 percent warn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $159,000 Location quotient: 7.14 6. Philadelphia, PA
Total food scientist jobs: 15 Average annual salary: $68,694 Lowest 10 percent warn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $112,000 Location quotient: 11.07 7. Fresno, CA
Total food scientist jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $86,300 Lowest 10 percent warn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $153,000 Location quotient: 19.12 8. Chicago, IL
Total food scientist jobs: 28 Average annual salary: $75,353 Lowest 10 percent warn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location quotient: 10.10 9. Bakersfield, CA
Total food scientist jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $84,187 Lowest 10 percent warn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $148,000 Location quotient: 47.34 10. Long Beach, CA
Total food scientist jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $80,211 Lowest 10 percent warn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $139,000 Location quotient: 52.58
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Best cities for food scientists
- Oakland, CA
- Wichita, KS
- Hempstead, NY
- Cincinnati, OH
- San Francisco, CA
- Philadelphia, PA
- Fresno, CA
- Chicago, IL
- Bakersfield, CA
- Long Beach, CA
- (7 food scientist jobs)
- (2 food scientist jobs)
- (2 food scientist jobs)
- (5 food scientist jobs)
- (20 food scientist jobs)
- (15 food scientist jobs)
- (3 food scientist jobs)
- (28 food scientist jobs)
- (6 food scientist jobs)
- (9 food scientist jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a food scientist
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $89,059 | $49,000 | 420,005 | 7 |
| 2 | Wichita, KS | $82,596 | $49,000 | 389,902 | 2 |
| 3 | Hempstead, NY | $80,900 | $49,000 | 759,757 | 2 |
| 4 | Cincinnati, OH | $83,415 | $50,000 | 298,800 | 5 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $89,229 | $49,000 | 870,887 | 20 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $68,694 | $41,000 | 1,567,872 | 15 |
| 7 | Fresno, CA | $86,300 | $48,000 | 522,053 | 3 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $75,353 | $46,000 | 2,704,958 | 28 |
| 9 | Bakersfield, CA | $84,187 | $47,000 | 376,380 | 6 |
| 10 | Long Beach, CA | $80,211 | $46,000 | 470,130 | 9 |
| 11 | Omaha, NE | $67,814 | $41,000 | 446,970 | 9 |
| 12 | San Jose, CA | $88,476 | $49,000 | 1,025,350 | 10 |
| 13 | Buffalo, NY | $78,582 | $48,000 | 256,902 | 8 |
| 14 | Fremont, CA | $88,712 | $49,000 | 233,136 | 2 |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $85,387 | $51,000 | 860,090 | 4 |
| 16 | Anaheim, CA | $80,127 | $46,000 | 351,043 | 2 |
| 17 | New York, NY | $80,733 | $49,000 | 8,537,673 | 46 |
| 18 | Cleveland, OH | $87,537 | $53,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 19 | Toledo, OH | $86,309 | $52,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 20 | Los Angeles, CA | $80,980 | $46,000 | 3,976,322 | 20 |
| 21 | Nashville, TN | $71,343 | $42,000 | 660,388 | - |
| 22 | Minneapolis, MN | $66,087 | $41,000 | 413,651 | 20 |
| 23 | Reno, NV | $80,558 | $44,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 24 | Atlanta, GA | $71,483 | $42,000 | 472,522 | 10 |
| 25 | Las Vegas, NV | $75,328 | $42,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 26 | Memphis, TN | $70,273 | $41,000 | 652,717 | - |
| 27 | Sacramento, CA | $88,735 | $49,000 | 495,234 | - |
| 28 | Detroit, MI | $78,023 | $47,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 29 | North Las Vegas, NV | $75,222 | $42,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 30 | Henderson, NV | $74,969 | $42,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 31 | Oklahoma City, OK | $72,167 | $42,000 | 638,367 | - |
| 32 | Garland, TX | $61,241 | $36,000 | 234,943 | 2 |
| 33 | Stockton, CA | $88,413 | $49,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 34 | Tulsa, OK | $71,250 | $42,000 | 403,090 | - |
| 35 | Albuquerque, NM | $65,386 | $38,000 | 559,277 | 3 |
| 36 | Plano, TX | $61,250 | $36,000 | 286,057 | 24 |
| 37 | Milwaukee, WI | $65,879 | $40,000 | 595,047 | 3 |
| 38 | Brookhaven, NY | $81,293 | $49,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 39 | Newark, NJ | $72,547 | $44,000 | 281,764 | 3 |
| 40 | Islip, NY | $81,148 | $49,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 41 | Oyster Bay, NY | $81,010 | $49,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 42 | Saint Louis, MO | $63,025 | $38,000 | 311,404 | 10 |
| 43 | Louisville, KY | $54,208 | $32,000 | 597,337 | 13 |
| 44 | Irvine, CA | $79,667 | $45,000 | 266,122 | 5 |
| 45 | Fort Worth, TX | $61,402 | $36,000 | 854,113 | 3 |
| 46 | San Diego, CA | $77,462 | $45,000 | 1,406,630 | 12 |
| 47 | Lincoln, NE | $67,470 | $41,000 | 280,364 | - |
| 48 | Boston, MA | $74,488 | $46,000 | 673,184 | - |
| 49 | Pittsburgh, PA | $66,160 | $40,000 | 303,625 | - |
| 50 | Dallas, TX | $61,285 | $36,000 | 1,317,929 | 7 |
Highest paying cities for food scientists
| Rank | City | Avg. food scientist salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Napa, CA | $89,313 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $80,733 |
| 3 | Battle Creek, MI | $76,761 |
| 4 | Niles, IL | $75,394 |
| 5 | Duluth, GA | $71,674 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $68,694 |
| 7 | Seattle, WA | $67,746 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $66,087 |
| 9 | Beloit, WI | $64,802 |
| 10 | Saint Louis, MO | $63,025 |
| 11 | Idaho Falls, ID | $62,366 |
| 12 | Dallas, TX | $61,285 |
| 13 | Greenville, NC | $55,086 |
| 14 | Denver, CO | $51,480 |
| 15 | Indianapolis, IN | $50,652 |
| 16 | Tampa, FL | $48,948 |
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Updated January 8, 2025