North Carolina · SOC 17-2131
Materials Engineer Salary in North Carolina
VerifiedPublished wages for materials engineers in North Carolina, straight from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release — the full percentile distribution, employment concentration, and metro detail.
Materials Engineers in North Carolina earn a median of $95,640 per year ($101,650 mean), per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $81,010–$117,190; the top 10% earn $138,330. That is 12% below the national median of $108,310, ranking North Carolina #38 of 46 states that publish this occupation.
Median wage
Verified$95,640
-12% vs national
Top 10% earn
$138,330
90th percentile
Employed in state
770
Reliability Moderate (10.1% RSE)
Materials Engineer pay distribution — North Carolina vs national
Every figure below is a published BLS percentile. Bars share one scale, so the two distributions compare directly.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $75,310 | +11% |
| 25th percentile | $81,010 | -6% |
| Median50th percentile | $95,640 | -12% |
| 75th percentile | $117,190 | -15% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $138,330 | -20% |
| Meanaverage | $101,650 | -13% |
Where materials engineers earn most in North Carolina
Metro areas in North Carolina where BLS publishes a wage for SOC 17-2131. Metros BLS withholds are not listed.
| Metro area | Median | Top 10% | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| DurhamDurham-Chapel Hill, NC | $119,020 | $126,880 | 80 |
| Virginia BeachVirginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $118,830 | $172,780 | 210 |
| CharlotteCharlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $102,080 | $157,610 | 140 |
| GreensboroGreensboro-High Point, NC | $95,640 | $123,430 | — |
| Rocky MountRocky Mount, NC | $88,820 | $125,290 | 60 |
| RaleighRaleigh-Cary, NC | $86,500 | $148,260 | — |
North Carolina engineering labor market
Concentration and pay level across all engineering occupations BLS publishes for this state.
Location quotient
1.07
Jobs per 1,000
0.16
State rank (pay)
#38 of 46
All engineering roles
$116,968
A location quotient of 1.07 means North Carolina employs materials engineers at roughly the national rate.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a materials engineer make in North Carolina?
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Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2131 (Materials Engineers), North Carolina (state).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →