Chico, CA · SOC 19-4013

Food Science Technicians in the Chico Metro

Metro area salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)

Share: Post LinkedIn

Geography used: wage and employment figures cover the full Chico, CA BLS wage area, not only its central city; the comparison figure is the United States national estimate. Verify with the BLS OEWS source tables.

Median Salary

$51,390

per year in the Chico metro

1% below

National Median

$52,130

per year nationally

Hourly Rate

$24.71/hr

median hourly

Employment

40

jobs in the Chico metro

The Chico pay distribution spans from $42,600 at the 10th percentile to $74,950 at the 90th, a 1.8× observed spread. Differences in specialization, employer, sector, location, credentials, schedule, and experience may all contribute, but OEWS does not isolate their effects. The 25th percentile sits at $48,130 and the 75th at $62,490, so half of Chico-based food science technicians earn within that middle band.

Metro figures use establishment work location, not worker residence. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Chico, CA covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. OEWS includes straight-time pay, tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses. It excludes employer health and retirement benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, signing bonuses, and other nonproduction bonuses. The same occupation's national profile, statewide CA estimate, and peer-metro rows provide distinct geographic comparisons. A published median is a benchmark, not a prediction or ceiling for one worker.

Salary Range in the Chico Metro

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$42,600
25th$48,130
Median$51,390
75th$62,490
90th$74,950

Top Paying Jobs in Chico

1. Physicians, All Other Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 50 workers (fewer than 100). $334,980 2. Family Medicine Physicians Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 90 workers (fewer than 100). $274,800 3. Chief Executives $176,750 4. Nurse Practitioners $167,080 5. Physician Assistants $164,780 6. Dentists, General Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 50 workers (fewer than 100). $163,520 7. Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 50 workers (fewer than 100). $162,300 8. Pharmacists $161,410 9. Veterinarians Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 60 workers (fewer than 100). $160,180 10. Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists Small sample: Small sample: this BLS estimate rests on 70 workers (fewer than 100). $155,470

Small sample marks a row whose BLS estimate rests on fewer than 100 workers. It is still a published figure, but BLS reports more sampling error for cells this small: the median relative standard error of the mean wage is 3.4% under 100 workers against 2.1% at 100 or more (May 2025 metro estimates). Small gaps in rank between neighbouring rows may not be meaningful.

Similar Occupations in Chico

Other roles inside the Chico, CA MSA from the same SOC major group.

Agricultural Technicians

in Chico

Animal Scientists

in Chico

Anthropologists and Archeologists

in Chico

Astronomers

in Chico

Atmospheric and Space Scientists

in Chico
Compare Food Science Technicians against another occupation → ← National Food Science Technicians salary Food Science Technicians in CA →

How much do Food Science Technicians make in the Chico metro area?

How much do Food Science Technicians make in the Chico metro area? ▼
The median annual salary for Food Science Technicians in Chico, CA is $51,390 ($24.71/hour). The salary range spans from $42,600 at the 10th percentile to $74,950 at the 90th percentile.
How does Food Science Technicians pay in the Chico metro compare nationally? ▼
Food Science Technicians pay in Chico, CA is 1% below the national median of $52,130. There are approximately 40 Food Science Technicians jobs in this metro area.

Last updated: May 2025 (BLS OEWS annual release). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage figures are computed directly from BLS OEWS data for the full Chico, CA wage area. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.