17 Series · SOC 17-2131
Materials Engineers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $112,860
- Median / year
- +4.2%
- 2024→2025
- $175,720
- Top 10% earn
- +5.7%
- Growth '24–'34
- 22,770
- Estimated US jobs
Materials Engineers earn a median of $112,860 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $112,860, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $72,300 (10th percentile) to $175,720 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 22,770 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is New Mexico ($165,600).
The pay verdict
Materials Engineers earn a median of $112,860, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 89% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Architecture and Engineering, it ranks #10 of 36 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 5.7% by 2034.
- $112,860
- Median annual wage
- Top 11%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #10 of 36
- in Architecture and Engineering
- 2.4×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New Mexico at $165,600. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Materials Engineers moved from $93,360 in May 2019 to $112,860 in May 2025 (+20.9%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Materials Engineers sits -3.6 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Materials Engineers (SOC 17-2131) has a national median of $112,860 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $72,300 to $175,720, and the published mean is $120,250. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 22,770 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 45 state or territory areas and 105 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $108,310 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $112,860 in May 2025, a rise of $4,550 (+4.2%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +5.7% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 1,500 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Architecture and Engineering Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New Mexico pays the highest state median at $165,600, which is +47% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $156,730. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$112,860
per year
Median Hourly
$54.26/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$120,250
average
Employment
22,770
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Materials Engineers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$112,860 Top 11% higher than 89% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 (this entry) | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$112,860 · 89th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 17-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Materials Engineers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Civil Engineers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5%, Median annual wage $100840
- Industrial Engineers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 11%, Median annual wage $102440
- Mechanical Engineers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.1%, Median annual wage $104110
- Electrical Engineers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.2%, Median annual wage $120630
- Engineers, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.1%, Median annual wage $122930
- Architects, Except L…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.9%, Median annual wage $99280
- Architectural and Ci…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $66150
- Electronics Engineer…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.2%, Median annual wage $130220
- Electrical and Elect…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.6%, Median annual wage $78190
- Computer Hardware En…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.3%, Median annual wage $161740
- Industrial Engineeri…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $66120
- Civil Engineering Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.1%, Median annual wage $64950
- Aerospace Engineers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.1%, Median annual wage $134960
- Engineering Technolo…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.5%, Median annual wage $78350
- Surveying and Mappin…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $54240
- Surveyors: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.4%, Median annual wage $75440
- Mechanical Drafters: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.5%, Median annual wage $71550
- Environmental Engine…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.9%, Median annual wage $107110
- Bioengineers and Bio…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.2%, Median annual wage $109370
- Materials Engineers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.7%, Median annual wage $112860
- Health and Safety En…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.4%, Median annual wage $115160
- Chemical Engineers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.6%, Median annual wage $125040
- Landscape Architects: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.5%, Median annual wage $79870
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+5.7%
Faster than average
Annual Openings
1,500
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+1,300
23,000 (2024) → 24,300 (2034)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Architecture and Engineering Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
2/100K
Injury Rate
0.5/100
Danger Index
3/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Materials Engineers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Review new product plans, and make recommendations for material selection, based on design objectives such as strength, weight, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and cost.
- ▸ Supervise the work of technologists, technicians, and other engineers and scientists.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Materials Engineers pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $91,310 |
| 2016 | $93,310 |
| 2017 | $94,610 |
| 2018 | $92,390 |
| 2019 | $93,360 |
| 2020 | $95,640 |
| 2021 | $98,300 |
| 2022 | $100,140 |
| 2023 | $104,100 |
| 2024 | $108,310 |
| 2025 | $112,860 |
2015 median
$91,310
2025 median
$112,860
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$19,500 (+20.9%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+3.2%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $91,310 | First banked release | 27,040 |
| May 2016 | $93,310 | +2.2% | 26,800 |
| May 2017 | $94,610 | +1.4% | 27,200 |
| May 2018 | $92,390 | -2.3% | 26,930 |
| May 2019 | $93,360 | Classification break | 26,820 |
| May 2020 | $95,640 | +2.4% | 24,740 |
| May 2021 | $98,300 | +2.8% | 21,530 |
| May 2022 | $100,140 | +1.9% | 21,510 |
| May 2023 | $104,100 | +4.0% | 24,630 |
| May 2024 | $108,310 | +4.0% | 22,770 |
| May 2025 | $112,860 | +4.2% | 22,770 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $91,310 in May 2015 to $112,860 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.2% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 26,820 in May 2019 to 22,770 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 45 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $165,600 | +47% above national |
| 2 | Maryland | $140,640 | +25% above national |
| 3 | Washington | $139,840 | +24% above national |
| 4 | Delaware | $131,320 | +16% above national |
| 5 | Louisiana | $128,670 | +14% above national |
| 6 | California | $128,470 | +14% above national |
| 7 | Illinois | $126,620 | +12% above national |
| 8 | New York | $125,900 | +12% above national |
| 9 | Colorado | $124,030 | +10% above national |
| 10 | Alaska | $123,360 | +9% above national |
| 11 | Oregon | $122,850 | +9% above national |
| 12 | Connecticut | $122,300 | +8% above national |
| 13 | South Carolina | $121,610 | +8% above national |
| 14 | Florida | $118,780 | +5% above national |
| 15 | Texas | $117,700 | +4% above national |
| 16 | Virginia | $116,720 | +3% above national |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $114,100 | +1% above national |
| 18 | Wyoming | $110,970 | 2% below national |
| 19 | Alabama | $107,580 | 5% below national |
| 20 | New Jersey | $106,920 | 5% below national |
| 21 | Arizona | $106,810 | 5% below national |
| 22 | Ohio | $106,510 | 6% below national |
| 23 | Minnesota | $106,220 | 6% below national |
| 24 | Idaho | $105,820 | 6% below national |
| 25 | North Carolina | $104,240 | 8% below national |
| 26 | Arkansas | $103,900 | 8% below national |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $101,290 | 10% below national |
| 28 | Indiana | $101,120 | 10% below national |
| 29 | Georgia | $100,840 | 11% below national |
| 30 | Kentucky | $100,620 | 11% below national |
| 31 | Kansas | $100,000 | 11% below national |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $99,950 | 11% below national |
| 33 | Nevada | $99,010 | 12% below national |
| 34 | Missouri | $98,860 | 12% below national |
| 35 | Nebraska | $98,270 | 13% below national |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $98,030 | 13% below national |
| 37 | Maine | $97,110 | 14% below national |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $96,210 | 15% below national |
| 39 | Michigan | $94,050 | 17% below national |
| 40 | Tennessee | $91,940 | 19% below national |
| 41 | Utah | $88,080 | 22% below national |
| 42 | Rhode Island | $87,180 | 23% below national |
| 43 | Mississippi | $78,700 | 30% below national |
| 44 | Montana | $76,030 | 33% below national |
| 45 | Iowa | $64,270 | 43% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 90 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $156,730 | +39% above national |
| 2 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $156,130 | +38% above national |
| 3 | Boulder, CO | $151,940 | +35% above national |
| 4 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $147,490 | +31% above national |
| 5 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $144,010 | +28% above national |
| 6 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $140,640 | +25% above national |
| 7 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $138,430 | +23% above national |
| 8 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $137,290 | +22% above national |
| 9 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $134,630 | +19% above national |
| 10 | Decatur, AL | $134,370 | +19% above national |
| 11 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $131,080 | +16% above national |
| 12 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $130,440 | +16% above national |
| 13 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $130,040 | +15% above national |
| 14 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $129,480 | +15% above national |
| 15 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $128,250 | +14% above national |
| 16 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $127,740 | +13% above national |
| 17 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $127,230 | +13% above national |
| 18 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $125,750 | +11% above national |
| 19 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $125,200 | +11% above national |
| 20 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $125,190 | +11% above national |
| 21 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $124,990 | +11% above national |
| 22 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $124,180 | +10% above national |
| 23 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $123,720 | +10% above national |
| 24 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $123,250 | +9% above national |
| 25 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $122,450 | +8% above national |
| 26 | Columbia, SC | $121,290 | +7% above national |
| 27 | Huntsville, AL | $120,720 | +7% above national |
| 28 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $117,700 | +4% above national |
| 29 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $117,000 | +4% above national |
| 30 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $116,720 | +3% above national |
| 31 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $116,510 | +3% above national |
| 32 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $114,670 | +2% above national |
| 33 | Worcester, MA | $114,100 | +1% above national |
| 34 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $111,480 | 1% below national |
| 35 | Madison, WI | $111,050 | 2% below national |
| 36 | Tulsa, OK | $110,690 | 2% below national |
| 37 | Toledo, OH | $110,620 | 2% below national |
| 38 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $110,350 | 2% below national |
| 39 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $109,100 | 3% below national |
| 40 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $108,840 | 4% below national |
| 41 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $106,580 | 6% below national |
| 42 | Idaho Falls, ID | $106,560 | 6% below national |
| 43 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $106,450 | 6% below national |
| 44 | Cleveland, OH | $106,340 | 6% below national |
| 45 | Ann Arbor, MI | $105,950 | 6% below national |
| 46 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $105,400 | 7% below national |
| 47 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $104,910 | 7% below national |
| 48 | Mobile, AL | $104,610 | 7% below national |
| 49 | Columbus, OH | $104,370 | 8% below national |
| 50 | Jacksonville, FL | $104,360 | 8% below national |
| 51 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $104,310 | 8% below national |
| 52 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $103,660 | 8% below national |
| 53 | Omaha, NE-IA | $103,410 | 8% below national |
| 54 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $103,360 | 8% below national |
| 55 | Akron, OH | $102,630 | 9% below national |
| 56 | Richmond, VA | $102,440 | 9% below national |
| 57 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $101,670 | 10% below national |
| 58 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $101,230 | 10% below national |
| 59 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $101,100 | 10% below national |
| 60 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $100,850 | 11% below national |
| 61 | Ogden, UT | $100,770 | 11% below national |
| 62 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $100,420 | 11% below national |
| 63 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $100,250 | 11% below national |
| 64 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $100,070 | 11% below national |
| 65 | Wichita, KS | $100,000 | 11% below national |
| 66 | Birmingham, AL | $99,780 | 12% below national |
| 67 | Fort Wayne, IN | $99,640 | 12% below national |
| 68 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $99,590 | 12% below national |
| 69 | Reading, PA | $99,040 | 12% below national |
| 70 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $98,460 | 13% below national |
| 71 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $98,440 | 13% below national |
| 72 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $98,380 | 13% below national |
| 73 | Lincoln, NE | $96,960 | 14% below national |
| 74 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $96,790 | 14% below national |
| 75 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $96,740 | 14% below national |
| 76 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $96,730 | 14% below national |
| 77 | Spartanburg, SC | $96,610 | 14% below national |
| 78 | Tucson, AZ | $95,930 | 15% below national |
| 79 | Oklahoma City, OK | $95,680 | 15% below national |
| 80 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $94,700 | 16% below national |
| 81 | Pittsburgh, PA | $92,740 | 18% below national |
| 82 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $89,040 | 21% below national |
| 83 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $85,130 | 25% below national |
| 84 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $85,000 | 25% below national |
| 85 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $84,880 | 25% below national |
| 86 | Knoxville, TN | $83,240 | 26% below national |
| 87 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $82,800 | 27% below national |
| 88 | Lancaster, PA | $79,270 | 30% below national |
| 89 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $77,470 | 31% below national |
| 90 | Utica-Rome, NY | $71,820 | 36% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 17 (Architecture and Engineering Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians
SOC 17-3021
Aerospace Engineers
SOC 17-2011
Agricultural Engineers
SOC 17-2021
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval
SOC 17-1011
Architectural and Civil Drafters
SOC 17-3011
Showing 5 of 35 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Architecture and Engineering Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($112,860 here) and reported employment (22,770 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Materials Engineers make? ▼
Where does Materials Engineers pay rank nationally? ▼
What state pays Materials Engineers the most? ▼
What education do Materials Engineers need? ▼
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Materials Engineers? ▼
Is Materials Engineers a good career? ▼
How does Materials Engineers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Materials Engineers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Materials Engineers pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $142,720/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: New Mexico leads at $165,600/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.