Materials Engineer Salary in Denver, CO
Materials Engineers in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area earn a median $125,750 a year — 11% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $92,392 take-home, or $7,699 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median materials engineer salary in Denver, CO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$18,914
- Social Security (6.2%)$7,797
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,823
- Colorado income tax$4,825
- Take-home pay$92,392
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 4.40% state
Materials Engineer pay by experience in Denver, CO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $53,500 | $25.72 | $43,522 | $3,627 |
| 25th percentile | $82,100 | $39.47 | $63,683 | $5,307 |
| Median (50th) | $125,750 | $60.46 | $92,392 | $7,699 |
| 75th percentile | $164,630 | $79.15 | $117,255 | $9,771 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $175,780 | $84.51 | $124,386 | $10,365 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Colorado resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $125,750 buys in Denver, CO
Prices in Denver, CO are 5.8% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.47× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median materials engineer's $92,392 take-home pay has the buying power of $87,341 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Denver, CO has 2.0× the national concentration of materials engineer jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for materials engineers, adjusted for cost of living
Denver, CO ranks #6 of 10 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $156,130 | $117,981 | $106,162 |
| 2 | Houston, TX | $123,250 | $95,507 | $96,835 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $156,730 | $106,007 | $96,001 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $140,640 | $98,408 | $90,378 |
| 5 | Dallas, TX | $117,700 | $91,632 | $88,885 |
| 6 | Denver, CO | $125,750 | $92,392 | $87,341 |
| 7 | Los Angeles, CA | $125,200 | $87,799 | $77,311 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $111,480 | $81,902 | $75,649 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 10 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a materials engineer make in Denver, CO?
The median materials engineer salary in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area is $125,750 a year, or about $60.46 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $82,100 and $164,630.
What is a materials engineer’s take-home pay in Denver, CO?
On the median $125,750 salary, a single filer living in Colorado takes home about $92,392 a year ($7,699 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $4,825 in Colorado taxes in 2026.
Is Denver, CO a good place to work as a materials engineer?
Pay here is 11% above the national median of $112,860. Local prices are 5.8% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $87,341 would in a typical U.S. city. Denver, CO ranks #6 of 10 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a materials engineer afford rent in Denver, CO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Denver, CO is $1,754 a month ($2,089 for two bedrooms) — 23% of a median materials engineer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Denver, CO
- Petroleum Engineer — $174,580
- Aerospace Engineer — $156,190
- Computer Hardware Engineer — $144,660
- Engineers, All Other — $131,740
- Mechanical Engineer — $128,180
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer — $127,260
- Electrical Engineer — $119,020
- Industrial Engineer — $108,680
- Environmental Engineer — $107,880
- Civil Engineer — $104,710
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval — $104,090
- Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers — $93,100