How much does a Material Engineers make?
A Material Engineers earns a median annual salary of $112,860 in the United States, which works out to roughly $54.26 per hour for full-time work. Most Materials Engineers earn between $72,300 at the entry level and $175,720 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $88,080 and $142,720 a year.
That is $51,470 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Material Engineers salary range by percentile
Half of all Materials Engineers earn between $88,080 and $142,720 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $72,300 | $34.76 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $88,080 | $42.35 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $112,860 | $54.26 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $142,720 | $68.62 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $175,720 | $84.48 |
Highest-paying states for Material Engineers
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. New Mexico leads the country for Material Engineers pay at $165,600 a year, followed by Maryland ($140,640) and Washington ($139,840). At the other end, Iowa posts the lowest median at $64,270 — a gap of $101,330 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $165,600 | $79.62 | +47% |
| 2 | Maryland | $140,640 | $67.62 | +25% |
| 3 | Washington | $139,840 | $67.23 | +24% |
| 4 | Delaware | $131,320 | $63.13 | +16% |
| 5 | Louisiana | $128,670 | $61.86 | +14% |
Material Engineers salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 45 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 23,000 people work as Materials Engineers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $120,250 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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Related salaries
Other engineering roles with similar pay.