How much does a materials engineer make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $54.26 an hour or $9,405 a month.
- Hourly
- $54.26
- Average (mean)
- $120,300
- Jobs
- 22,770
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $72,300 | $34.76 | |
| 25th | $88,080 | $42.35 | |
| Median | $112,900 | $54.26 | |
| 75th | $142,700 | $68.62 | |
| 90th | $175,700 | $84.48 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| New Mexico | $165,600 |
| Maryland | $140,600 |
| Washington | $139,800 |
| Delaware | $131,300 |
| Louisiana | $128,700 |
| California | $128,500 |
| Illinois | $126,600 |
| New York | $125,900 |
| Colorado | $124,000 |
| Alaska | $123,400 |
| Oregon | $122,900 |
| Connecticut | $122,300 |
| South Carolina | $121,600 |
| Florida | $118,800 |
| Texas | $117,700 |
| Virginia | $116,700 |
| Massachusetts | $114,100 |
| Wyoming | $111,000 |
| Alabama | $107,600 |
| New Jersey | $106,900 |
| Arizona | $106,800 |
| Ohio | $106,500 |
| Minnesota | $106,200 |
| Idaho | $105,800 |
| North Carolina | $104,200 |
| Arkansas | $103,900 |
| New Hampshire | $101,300 |
| Indiana | $101,100 |
| Georgia | $100,800 |
| Kentucky | $100,600 |
| Kansas | $100,000 |
| Oklahoma | $99,950 |
| Nevada | $99,010 |
| Missouri | $98,860 |
| Nebraska | $98,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $98,030 |
| Maine | $97,110 |
| Wisconsin | $96,210 |
| Michigan | $94,050 |
| Tennessee | $91,940 |
| Utah | $88,080 |
| Rhode Island | $87,180 |
| Mississippi | $78,700 |
| Montana | $76,030 |
| Iowa | $64,270 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| San Jose, CA | $156,700 |
| Seattle, WA | $156,100 |
| Boulder, CO | $151,900 |
| New York, NY | $147,500 |
| Baltimore, MD | $144,000 |
| Washington, DC | $140,600 |
| Orlando, FL | $138,400 |
| Dayton, OH | $137,300 |
| Albany, NY | $134,600 |
| Decatur, AL | $134,400 |
| Charleston, SC | $131,100 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $130,400 |
| Sacramento, CA | $130,000 |
| San Francisco, CA | $129,500 |
| Portland, OR | $128,300 |
In other countries
Materials Engineer belongs to the international group "Mining engineers, metallurgists and related professionals".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
- Health and Safety Engineer$115,200
- Industrial Engineer$102,400
- Marine Engineer and Naval Architect$112,200
- Mechanical Engineer$104,100
- Mining and Geological Engineer$106,200
- Nuclear Engineer$134,000
- Petroleum Engineer$144,900
- Engineer$122,900
Frequently asked questions
How much does a materials engineer make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $54.26 ($112,900 a year).
How much does a materials engineer make a month?
About $9,405 a month before tax, based on a median of $112,900 a year.
How much does a materials engineer make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $72,300 or less a year ($34.76 an hour); the top 10% make $175,700 or more.
Which state pays materials engineers the most?
New Mexico, with a median of $165,600 a year, followed by Maryland ($140,600) and Washington ($139,800).
Which city pays materials engineers the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, with a median of $156,700 a year.
How many materials engineers are there in the United States?
About 22,770 people work as materials engineers.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.