Materials Engineer Salary
Materials Engineers earn a median $112,860 a year nationally. Architecture and Engineering Occupations
U.S. median
$112,860
$54.26 per hour
Range
$72,300 – $175,720
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
22,770
across the U.S.
▲4.2%
Pay trend: The median for materials engineers in the U.S. rose from $108,310 (May 2024) to $112,860 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 1.8%.
What materials engineers do
Evaluate materials and develop machinery and processes to manufacture materials for use in products that must meet specialized design and performance specifications. Develop new uses for known materials.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +7.5% (faster than average)
- Openings per year
- 1,300
- Self-employed
- 4%
Employment of materials engineers is projected to grow 7.5% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 1,300 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Materials Engineer take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$88,227
per year · effective tax rate 21.8%
$7,352Monthly
$3,676Twice a month
$3,393Every 2 weeks
$42.42Hourly
- Federal income tax$15,999
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,997
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,636
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$88,227
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $72,300 | $34.76 | $59,693 |
| 25th percentile | $88,080 | $42.35 | $70,794 |
| Median (50th) | $112,860 | $54.26 | $88,227 |
| 75th percentile | $142,720 | $68.62 | $108,815 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $175,720 | $84.48 | $131,371 |
Materials Engineer salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $165,600 | — | $117,670 | $126,640 – $204,400 | 450 |
| Maryland | $140,640 | +7.4% | $100,969 | $79,470 – $195,190 | 740 |
| Washington | $139,840 | −0.7% | $106,847 | $92,570 – $199,250 | 1,000 |
| Delaware | $131,320 | +2.9% | $93,697 | $100,620 – $182,400 | 40 |
| Louisiana | $128,670 | +27.4% | $95,738 | $80,860 – $171,140 | 90 |
| California | $128,470 | +0.7% | $89,687 | $82,460 – $183,880 | 3,020 |
| Illinois | $126,620 | +19.5% | $91,688 | $71,780 – $165,710 | 290 |
| New York | $125,900 | +3.2% | $90,931 | $73,920 – $168,120 | 590 |
| Colorado | $124,030 | +2.1% | $91,292 | $64,710 – $180,500 | 810 |
| Alaska | $123,360 | +2.3% | $95,583 | $79,970 – $154,150 | 70 |
| Oregon | $122,850 | −3.5% | $85,314 | $79,040 – $162,600 | 120 |
| Connecticut | $122,300 | +17.2% | $89,670 | $88,330 – $155,440 | 420 |
| South Carolina | $121,610 | +9.8% | $88,243 | $75,550 – $158,940 | 600 |
| Florida | $118,780 | +14.2% | $92,392 | $73,370 – $166,490 | 690 |
| Texas | $117,700 | +1.3% | $91,632 | $67,690 – $187,460 | 1,440 |
| Virginia | $116,720 | +9.8% | $85,045 | $77,490 – $170,210 | 620 |
| Massachusetts | $114,100 | +2.8% | $83,614 | $77,980 – $167,180 | 1,360 |
| Wyoming | $110,970 | −3.0% | $86,897 | $65,250 – $120,830 | 40 |
| Alabama | $107,580 | −2.3% | $79,399 | $69,260 – $168,580 | 650 |
| New Jersey | $106,920 | +6.7% | $79,427 | $82,120 – $170,140 | 260 |
| Arizona | $106,810 | −1.3% | $81,509 | $81,990 – $165,090 | 580 |
| Ohio | $106,510 | +0.4% | $81,613 | $76,030 – $169,300 | 1,790 |
| Minnesota | $106,220 | −0.2% | $77,856 | $84,760 – $175,320 | 150 |
| Idaho | $105,820 | +4.0% | $78,774 | $57,250 – $154,080 | 90 |
| North Carolina | $104,240 | +9.0% | $78,512 | $78,160 – $153,570 | 640 |
| Arkansas | $103,900 | +3.6% | $78,084 | $80,120 – $159,440 | 90 |
| New Hampshire | $101,290 | −4.3% | $80,088 | $73,660 – $159,180 | 70 |
| Indiana | $101,120 | +2.9% | $77,014 | $67,430 – $131,980 | 570 |
| Georgia | $100,840 | +3.6% | $75,160 | $71,830 – $159,560 | 700 |
| Kentucky | $100,620 | −4.3% | $76,212 | $84,610 – $132,800 | 280 |
| Kansas | $100,000 | +2.9% | $74,400 | $83,460 – $164,110 | 270 |
| Oklahoma | $99,950 | −1.1% | $75,193 | $54,990 – $150,640 | 240 |
| Nevada | $99,010 | +1.5% | $78,484 | $66,150 – $155,190 | 100 |
| Missouri | $98,860 | −0.3% | $74,669 | $65,870 – $135,280 | 300 |
| Nebraska | $98,270 | +16.2% | $74,371 | $57,030 – $135,400 | 160 |
| Pennsylvania | $98,030 | +9.9% | $74,785 | $62,790 – $173,530 | 720 |
| Maine | $97,110 | +8.9% | $71,699 | $72,130 – $138,440 | 100 |
| Wisconsin | $96,210 | −0.5% | $72,795 | $65,160 – $127,820 | 280 |
| Michigan | $94,050 | −2.7% | $71,248 | $62,640 – $139,690 | 810 |
| Tennessee | $91,940 | −15.4% | $73,510 | $63,760 – $149,300 | 330 |
| Utah | $88,080 | +2.8% | $67,797 | $69,180 – $140,620 | 460 |
| Rhode Island | $87,180 | −5.4% | $67,509 | $78,270 – $140,450 | 50 |
| Mississippi | $78,700 | −13.2% | $61,779 | $62,000 – $150,890 | 100 |
| Montana | $76,030 | −24.4% | $59,382 | $59,860 – $104,480 | 90 |
| Iowa | $64,270 | −16.1% | $52,030 | $62,390 – $115,140 | 200 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Engineer and Naval Architect | $112,230 | Bachelor's degree | +6.7% |
| Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | $115,160 | Bachelor's degree | +5.4% |
| Bioengineer and Biomedical Engineer | $109,370 | Bachelor's degree | +7.6% |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 | Bachelor's degree | +6.3% |
| Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers | $106,220 | Bachelor's degree | +3.8% |
| Electrical Engineer | $120,630 | Bachelor's degree | +9.9% |
| Mechanical Engineer | $104,110 | Bachelor's degree | +11.2% |
| Engineers, All Other | $122,930 | Bachelor's degree | +3.7% |
| Industrial Engineer | $102,440 | Bachelor's degree | +12.4% |
| Civil Engineer | $100,840 | Bachelor's degree | +6.4% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a materials engineer make?
The national median salary for materials engineers is $112,860 a year ($54.26 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $72,300 and the top 10% earn over $175,720. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays materials engineers the most?
New Mexico has the highest median pay at $165,600.
How many materials engineers are there in the U.S.?
About 22,770 people work as materials engineers nationwide.