Materials Engineers Salary
Architecture and Engineering Occupations · 23K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$112,860
Median hourly
$54
Average annual
$120,250
Typical range
$72,300–$175,720
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Materials Engineers is $112,860 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $54 an hour at a full-time schedule.
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.
Most earn between $72,300 and $175,720 a year. There are roughly 23K people employed as materials engineers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Materials Engineers.
- Hourly
- $54.26
- Daily
- $434
- Weekly
- $2,170
- Bi-weekly
- $4,341
- Monthly
- $9,405
- Annual
- $112,860
$112,860 a year is around the 50th percentile for Materials Engineerss. The median is $112,860.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1New Mexico$165,600
- 2Maryland$140,640
- 3Washington$139,840
- 4Delaware$131,320
- 5Louisiana$128,670
- 6California$128,470
- 7Illinois$126,620
- 8New York$125,900
- 9Colorado$124,030
- 10Alaska$123,360
- 11Oregon$122,850
- 12Connecticut$122,300
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$156,730
- 2Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$156,130
- 3Boulder, CO$151,940
- 4New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$147,490
- 5Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD$144,010
- 6Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$140,640
- 7Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL$138,430
- 8Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH$137,290
- 9Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$134,630
- 10Decatur, AL$134,370
- 11Charleston-North Charleston, SC$131,080
- 12Bakersfield-Delano, CA$130,440
Related job titles
Employers advertise Materials Engineers roles under these titles.
- Automotive Sheet Metal Engineer
- Ceramic Design Engineer
- Ceramic Engineer
- Ceramic Research Engineer
- Ceramics Test Engineer
- Corrosion Engineer
- Extractive Metallurgist
- Extrusion Engineer
- Failure Analysis Engineer
- Forensic Materials Engineer
- Foundry Metallurgist
- Glass Science Engineer
- Material Analyst
- Material Science And Testing Engineer
- Materials Development Engineer
- Materials Engineer
Related occupations
What a Materials Engineers does
- Analyze product failure data and laboratory test results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions.
- Design and direct the testing or control of processing procedures.
- Monitor material performance, and evaluate its deterioration.
- Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality.
- Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.
- Modify properties of metal alloys, using thermal and mechanical treatments.
- Determine appropriate methods for fabricating and joining materials.
- Guide technical staff in developing materials for specific uses in projected products or devices.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Materials Engineers make?
- The median annual wage for Materials Engineers is $112,860 ($54 per hour). Pay ranges from about $72,300 at the 10th percentile to $175,720 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Materials Engineers?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $120,250, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Materials Engineerss the most?
- New Mexico has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $165,600.
- Is Materials Engineers a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 23K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Materials Engineers do?
- Analyze product failure data and laboratory test results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions.; Design and direct the testing or control of processing procedures.; Monitor material performance, and evaluate its deterioration..