Salary comparison
Materials Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer salary
Materials Engineers out-earn mechanical engineers by about $5,990 at the median. Here is the full side-by-side breakdown — pay range, top states, and experience.
Materials Engineers earn more — a median of $108,310 versus $102,320 for mechanical engineers, a gap of about $5,990 (6%). Both figures are published national wage benchmarks.
Materials Engineer
Verified$108,310
Median annual wage
- Entry (10th pct)
- $68,040
- Top 10%
- $172,000
- Discipline
- Architecture & Engineering
Mechanical Engineer
Verified$102,320
Median annual wage
- Entry (10th pct)
- $68,740
- Top 10%
- $161,240
- Discipline
- Architecture & Engineering
Materials Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer — pay distribution
Percentile-by-percentile comparison of national annual wages.
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentileMaterials Engineer | $68,040 |
| MedianMaterials Engineer | $108,310 |
| 90th percentileMaterials Engineer | $172,000 |
| 10th percentileMechanical Engineer | $68,740 |
| MedianMechanical Engineer | $102,320 |
| 90th percentileMechanical Engineer | $161,240 |
Pay by experience
Modeled progression from entry to principal level for each role (estimated from the national percentile curve).
Materials Engineer
Mechanical Engineer
Where each role pays most
Highest-paying states by published median wage.
Materials Engineer
- Washington$140,810
- Maryland$130,920
- Delaware$127,640
- California$127,550
- Oregon$127,360
Mechanical Engineer
- New Mexico$141,490
- District of Columbia$130,000
- Alaska$129,990
- California$126,370
- Massachusetts$122,670
Which should you choose?
On pay alone, materials engineers earn about 6% more at the median — but location and specialization routinely move pay by more than that gap.
Pick materials engineer if…
Materials engineers develop, process, and test materials used to create a range of products, from metals and ceramics to plastics and composites.
- ▹Industry (semiconductors and aerospace pay a premium)
- ▹Advanced degrees
- ▹Specialty (metallurgy, polymers, semiconductors)
Pick mechanical engineer if…
Mechanical engineers design, develop, and test mechanical and thermal devices, from engines and tools to HVAC and manufacturing systems.
- ▹Industry (aerospace and oil & gas pay above automotive/consumer)
- ▹Professional Engineer (PE) license
- ▹Years of experience
Materials Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer — frequently asked
Who earns more, materials engineers or mechanical engineers?
What is the salary range for materials engineers vs mechanical engineers?
Should I become a materials engineer or a mechanical engineer?
Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2131 (Materials Engineers), national.
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →