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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
What does a Materials Engineer actually earn in 2026? The national weighted average lands at $116,389 — but that single number is deceptively simple. Across the 288 cities in our database, median pay ranges from $83,000 to $212,000. The $81,472 gap between entry-level (P10) and senior (P90) pay tells you this career has real earning trajectory — if you're in the right place.
Materials Engineer falls within the Engineering sector, specifically in Engineering. The typical education path involves Bachelor's degree. The career outlook? Steady. Work style is lab/on-site — which means location flexibility varies, and so does the premium different markets are willing to pay. That salary-to-cost ratio is genuinely competitive.
$129,000 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Materials Engineer in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $212,000 — $129,000 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($83,000). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. In the right market, this is a six-figure career path.
The salary distribution for Materials Engineers reveals a $81,472 spread from entry to senior. At $116,389, the median sits $36,022 above the national median household income of $80,367. That's a strong baseline — and it only includes individual earnings, not household. The P10 floor of $83,800 represents early-career or part-time positions, while the $165,272 ceiling captures experienced professionals in premium markets.
Compare the extremes: the highest-paying trio of cities (Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Irvine) averages $198,000, while the lowest-paying trio (Toledo, Detroit, Akron) averages $83,667. The $114,333 difference is the kind of number that reshapes career strategy — assuming the cost of living cooperates.
A Materials Engineer in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $212,000 — $129,000 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($83,000). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The national average entry-level (P10) salary for Materials Engineer is $83,800, while senior-level (P90) earners average $165,272. That $81,472 trajectory represents the earning growth a career in this field can deliver.
California pays the highest average median salary for Materials Engineers at $140,475 across 61 tracked cities. The gap between #1 and #5 (New Jersey at $123,500) is $16,975.
At the 90th percentile, Materials Engineers pull in an average of $165,272. In the top-paying markets, that figure climbs even higher — making this one of the more lucrative career trajectories in its field.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $83,800 | $116,389 | $165,272 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £46,060 | £63,972 | £90,841 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$67,432 | CA$93,655 | CA$132,991 |
| Australia | 13 | A$77,958 | A$108,275 | A$153,750 |
| Sweden | 24 | 460,211 kr | 639,183 kr | 907,639 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 61 | $101,142 | $140,475 | $199,475 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $97,740 | $135,750 | $192,765 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $97,200 | $135,000 | $191,700 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $90,000 | $125,000 | $177,500 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $88,920 | $123,500 | $175,370 |
| Washington | 8 | $87,210 | $121,125 | $171,998 |
| New York | 5 | $82,080 | $114,000 | $161,880 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $82,080 | $114,000 | $161,880 |
| Florida | 22 | $81,458 | $113,136 | $160,654 |
| Colorado | 11 | $80,051 | $111,182 | $157,878 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $79,920 | $111,000 | $157,620 |
| Nevada | 5 | $79,776 | $110,800 | $157,336 |
| Arizona | 12 | $79,380 | $110,250 | $156,555 |
| Oregon | 5 | $79,200 | $110,000 | $156,200 |
| Idaho | 3 | $78,960 | $109,667 | $155,727 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $78,336 | $108,800 | $154,496 |
| Utah | 4 | $78,120 | $108,500 | $154,070 |
| Virginia | 7 | $76,834 | $106,714 | $151,534 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $75,840 | $105,333 | $149,573 |
| Alaska | 1 | $75,600 | $105,000 | $149,100 |
| Illinois | 5 | $74,736 | $103,800 | $147,396 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $72,880 | $101,222 | $143,736 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $72,000 | $100,000 | $142,000 |
| Montana | 1 | $72,000 | $100,000 | $142,000 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $71,760 | $99,667 | $141,527 |
| Texas | 40 | $71,406 | $99,175 | $140,829 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $71,280 | $99,000 | $140,580 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $70,920 | $98,500 | $139,870 |
| Georgia | 6 | $70,680 | $98,167 | $139,397 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $70,560 | $98,000 | $139,160 |
| Kansas | 4 | $70,200 | $97,500 | $138,450 |
| Michigan | 6 | $69,960 | $97,167 | $137,977 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $69,120 | $96,000 | $136,320 |
| Maryland | 1 | $69,120 | $96,000 | $136,320 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $68,400 | $95,000 | $134,900 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $68,400 | $95,000 | $134,900 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $66,600 | $92,500 | $131,350 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $66,240 | $92,000 | $130,640 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $65,340 | $90,750 | $128,865 |
| Missouri | 4 | $65,340 | $90,750 | $128,865 |
| Alabama | 5 | $65,088 | $90,400 | $128,368 |
| Indiana | 3 | $64,080 | $89,000 | $126,380 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $64,080 | $89,000 | $126,380 |
| Iowa | 2 | $63,360 | $88,000 | $124,960 |
| Ohio | 6 | $63,240 | $87,833 | $124,723 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $60,480 | $84,000 | $119,280 |
The state salary map for Materials Engineers: California at $140,475, Massachusetts at $135,750, Hawaii at $135,000 lead the pack. The bottom tier — Mississippi ($84,000), Ohio ($87,833), Iowa ($88,000) — shows how regional economics reshape compensation. Across all 46 states with data, the state-level spread alone is $56,475.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Sunnyvale ($212,000 nominal, 212 cost index) delivers $100,000 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale California | $212,000 | 212 | $100,000 | $122,060 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $198,000 | 198 | $100,000 | $115,473 |
| 3 | Irvine California | $184,000 | 184 | $100,000 | $108,250 |
| 4 | San Francisco California | $181,000 | 181 | $100,000 | $106,598 |
| 5 | Carlsbad California | $178,000 | 178 | $100,000 | $104,947 |
| 6 | San Jose California | $177,000 | 177 | $100,000 | $104,396 |
| 7 | Fremont California | $177,000 | 177 | $100,000 | $104,396 |
| 8 | Berkeley California | $173,000 | 173 | $100,000 | $102,194 |
| 9 | Costa Mesa California | $173,000 | 173 | $100,000 | $102,194 |
| 10 | Huntington Beach California | $169,000 | 169 | $100,000 | $99,992 |
From a career planning perspective, Materials Engineer offers a $81,472 earning range. The 2.0× progression is steady — not explosive, but reliable. The typical entry requires Bachelor's degree. Day-to-day, expect lab/on-site work environments. With data from 288 cities, the geographic flexibility is substantial — this career travels well.
The weighted national median salary for Materials Engineers is $116,389 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $83,800, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $165,272.
The highest-paying city for Materials Engineers is Sunnyvale, California with a median salary of $212,000. The top 3 cities are Sunnyvale ($212,000), Santa Clara ($198,000), Irvine ($184,000). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Materials Engineer salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $83,000. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Materials Engineers (10th percentile) average $83,800 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $152,640. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Materials Engineers average $165,272 nationally — $81,472 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Materials Engineers can earn up to $301,040.
The top-paying states for Materials Engineers are California ($140,475 median), Massachusetts ($135,750 median), Hawaii ($135,000 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Materials Engineer involves Bachelor's degree. The field is in the Engineering sector (Engineering), and the career outlook is steady. Work style is typically lab/on-site.
With a national median of $116,389 and representation across 288 metro areas, Materials Engineer offers above-average earning potential compared to national household income. The $81,472 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: steady.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.