Start with the answer
Food Scientists and Technologists pay in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
The May 2025 BLS OEWS median for Food Scientists and Technologists is $80,050 per year in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA. It is $113,350 per year in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA is 29.4% below Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV on the published median.
Both rows use SOC 19-1012 and the same annual wage metric. Median means the middle of each area's published wage spread. It is not one worker's pay. The larger median is not proof that one place gives a better job or a better result. It is one wage fact from one source period.
BLS lists 150 wage and salary jobs in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and 130 in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Those are survey job counts, not open posts. Read pay, job scale, local share, and price level as separate facts before you make a choice.