SOC 19-4013 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Food Science Technicians — Chico
Chico, CA · 10 metro areas compared
At $51,390, median pay for Food Science Technicians in Chico, CA tracks the national median of $52,130 closely.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +4.8%
- Openings per year
- 3,200
- Typical entry-level education
- Associate's degree
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
6.7% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Chico, CA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
At $51,390, median pay for Food Science Technicians in Chico, CA tracks the national median of $52,130 closely. Pay ranges from under $42,600 at the tenth percentile to more than $74,950 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $48,130 to $62,490.
Employment stands at 40, or 0.5 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Sacramento records the highest median at $64,620. Of the 286 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 168th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $42,600 | −18.3% |
| 25th | $48,130 | −7.7% |
| Median (50th) | $51,390 | −1.4% |
| 75th | $62,490 | +19.9% |
| 90th | $74,950 | +43.8% |
| Mean | $55,280 | +6.0% |
Other metro areas in California
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento | $64,620 | 200 | |
| 2 | Napa | $61,430 | 140 | |
| 3 | San Francisco | $60,980 | 310 | |
| 4 | San Jose | $59,580 | 70 | |
| 5 | Santa Rosa | $58,640 | 110 | |
| 6 | Vallejo | $57,630 | 70 | |
| 7 | Modesto | $56,220 | 180 | |
| 8 | Los Angeles | $54,410 | 970 | |
| 9 | San Luis Obispo | $53,530 | 80 | |
| 10 | Salinas | $52,870 | 50 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Chico sit close to the national average, so $51,390 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$51,390as reported by BLSLocal price level
101.2US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$50,781US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $51,390 a year, 1.4% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $42,600 to $74,950 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 40 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Sacramento, at $64,620.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Food Science Technicians in Chico, CA?
The median annual wage is $51,390, or $24.71 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $52,130, so pay in Chico, CA is 1.4% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Chico, CA earns more than $74,950 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $42,600 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Sacramento, at $64,620 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 40 jobs in this occupation in Chico, CA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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