Materials Engineer salary

Q: How much does a materials engineer make?

The median materials engineer salary in the U.S. is about $104,100 per year. Most materials engineers earn between $66,380 and $169,180, and top earners (90th percentile) make $169,180 or more. These national figures come from published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS) wage data.

Q: How much do entry-level materials engineers make?

Entry-level materials engineers (0–2 years) earn about $81,000 per year, rising to roughly $112,500 at mid-level and $140,500+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.

Q: Do materials engineers make good money?

Yes. The median materials engineer salary of $104,100 is 11% below the roughly $116,537 median across engineering occupations, and experienced materials engineers can earn $169,180 or more.

Q: Which cities pay materials engineers the most?

Estimated materials engineer pay is highest in San Jose ($154,068), San Francisco ($147,822), Seattle ($135,330). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.

Verified

Updated January 2025

Materials engineers develop, process, and test materials used to create a range of products, from metals and ceramics to plastics and composites.

Median pay

$104,100

U.S. typical

Top earners

$169,180

90th percentile

Entry level

$81,000

0–2 yrs

Senior

$140,500

15+ yrs

The median materials engineer salary in the U.S. is about $104,100 per year. Entry-level pay starts near $66,380, while top earners (90th percentile) make $169,180 or more. Add your city and experience for a sharper, local number.

Median annual wage

$104,100

Mean

$110,760

10th pct · $66,38090th pct · $169,180

What materials engineers do

Study material properties and structures, develop new materials, and solve failure and processing problems.

Materials engineers develop, process, and test materials used to create a range of products, from metals and ceramics to plastics and composites.

What affects materials engineer pay

▹Industry (semiconductors and aerospace pay a premium)
▹Advanced degrees
▹Specialty (metallurgy, polymers, semiconductors)
▹Years of experience
▹Metro cost of labor

Materials Engineer salary by experience

Pay typically climbs from about $81,000 for entry level engineers to $140,500+ at the principal / staff level.

Entry level 0–2 yrs

$81,000

Early career 3–5 yrs

$98,000

Mid level 6–9 yrs

$112,500

Senior 10–14 yrs

$127,000

Principal / Staff 15+ yrs

$140,500

Your actual offer depends on company, location, and specialization — run the calculator for a tailored range.

Highest-paying cities for materials engineers

Estimated materials engineer pay in the top-paying metros, vs the national median.

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Metro	State	Median	90th pct	vs U.S.	Data
San Jose California	CA	$154,068	$250,386	+48%	Estimate
San Francisco California	CA	$147,822	$240,236	+42%	Estimate
Seattle Washington	WA	$135,330	$219,934	+30%	Estimate
New York City New York	NY	$131,166	$213,167	+26%	Estimate
Boston Massachusetts	MA	$127,002	$206,400	+22%	Estimate
Washington, D.C. District of Columbia	DC	$124,920	$203,016	+20%	Estimate
Los Angeles California	CA	$122,838	$199,632	+18%	Estimate
San Diego California	CA	$119,715	$194,557	+15%	Estimate

Materials Engineer salary by state

State	Est. median	Est. 90th pct
California	$129,084	$209,783
Texas	$108,264	$175,947
New York	$118,674	$192,865
Washington	$122,838	$199,632
Massachusetts	$120,756	$196,249

State figures are estimates — open a state for its full city-by-city breakdown.

Materials Engineer salary — frequently asked questions

How much does a materials engineer make?

The median materials engineer salary in the U.S. is about $104,100 per year. Most materials engineers earn between $66,380 and $169,180, and top earners (90th percentile) make $169,180 or more. These national figures come from published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS) wage data.

What is the highest materials engineer salary?

Top-earning materials engineers (90th percentile) make about $169,180 or more nationally. In the highest-paying metros, estimated pay can run even higher — for example around $154,068 in San Jose. Metro figures are cost-of-labor estimates, not direct BLS metro data.

How much do entry-level materials engineers make?

Entry-level materials engineers (0–2 years) earn about $81,000 per year, rising to roughly $112,500 at mid-level and $140,500+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.

Do materials engineers make good money?

Yes. The median materials engineer salary of $104,100 is 11% below the roughly $116,537 median across engineering occupations, and experienced materials engineers can earn $169,180 or more.

Which cities pay materials engineers the most?

Estimated materials engineer pay is highest in San Jose ($154,068), San Francisco ($147,822), and Seattle ($135,330). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.

How can a materials engineer earn more?

Materials Engineer pay rises most with industry (semiconductors and aerospace pay a premium), advanced degrees, and specialty (metallurgy, polymers, semiconductors). Moving to a higher-cost metro, specializing, and taking on senior or lead scope are the biggest levers — the salary calculator lets you model each one.

Source details

National wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2131. Median and 90th-percentile annual wages.

Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →