How much does a Materials Scientist make?
Materials Scientists in the United States bring home a median salary of $117,790 a year, or around $56.63 an hour. Pay spans a wide range: the bottom 10% earn under $66,820, while the top 10% earn $197,290.
That is $56,400 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Materials Scientist salary range by percentile
Half of all Materials Scientists earn between $89,990 and $150,550 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $66,820 | $32.13 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $89,990 | $43.26 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $117,790 | $56.63 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $150,550 | $72.38 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $197,290 | $94.85 |
Highest-paying states for Materials Scientist
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. California leads the country for Materials Scientist pay at $177,030 a year, followed by Oregon ($150,550) and Wisconsin ($137,700). At the other end, Tennessee posts the lowest median at $69,010 — a gap of $108,020 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $177,030 | $85.11 | +50% |
| 2 | Oregon | $150,550 | $72.38 | +28% |
| 3 | Wisconsin | $137,700 | $66.20 | +17% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $137,600 | $66.15 | +17% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $132,600 | $63.75 | +13% |
Materials Scientist salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 30 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 8,000 people work as Materials Scientists in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $126,180 — 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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