SOC 19-1012 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Food Scientists and Technologists — Alabama
Alabama
Median pay for this occupation in Alabama comes to $97,480 a year, ahead of the national median of $88,720 by 9.9%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Alabama comes to $97,480 a year, ahead of the national median of $88,720 by 9.9%. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $82,730 and $113,640. The lowest tenth earn under $58,510, while the highest tenth earn more than $122,790.
Employment stands at 60, or 0.0 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 39 states with published data for this occupation, Alabama ranks 9th by median wage. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 95th of 690 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $58,510 | −34.1% |
| 25th | $82,730 | −6.8% |
| Median (50th) | $97,480 | +9.9% |
| 75th | $113,640 | +28.1% |
| 90th | $122,790 | +38.4% |
| Mean | $96,280 | +8.5% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Alabama run 11.2% below the national average, so the median of $97,480 goes as far as $109,775 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 23.7% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$97,480as reported by BLSLocal price level
88.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$109,775US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $97,480 a year, 9.9% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $58,510 to $122,790 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 60 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 9th of 39 states for this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Food Scientists and Technologists in Alabama?
The median annual wage is $97,480, or $46.87 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 $88,720, so pay in Alabama is 9.9% higher. 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 Alabama earns more than $122,790 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $58,510 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.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 60 jobs in this occupation in Alabama. 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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