Materials Engineers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for materials engineers is $112,860, or $54.26 per hour. About 22,770 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $165,600 in New Mexico to $64,270 in Iowa.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 45 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $165,600 | $79.61 | 450 | 3.56 |
| 2 | Maryland | $140,640 | $67.62 | 740 | 1.82 |
| 3 | Washington | $139,840 | $67.23 | 1,000 | 1.92 |
| 4 | Delaware | $131,320 | $63.14 | 40 | 0.51 |
| 5 | Louisiana | $128,670 | $61.86 | 90 | 0.31 |
| 6 | California | $128,470 | $61.77 | 3,020 | 1.13 |
| 7 | Illinois | $126,620 | $60.87 | 290 | 0.33 |
| 8 | New York | $125,900 | $60.53 | 590 | 0.42 |
| 9 | Colorado | $124,030 | $59.63 | 810 | 1.92 |
| 10 | Alaska | $123,360 | $59.31 | 70 | 1.36 |
| 11 | Oregon | $122,850 | $59.06 | 120 | 0.43 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $122,300 | $58.80 | 420 | 1.68 |
| 13 | South Carolina | $121,610 | $58.47 | 600 | 1.77 |
| 14 | Florida | $118,780 | $57.11 | 690 | 0.47 |
| 15 | Texas | $117,700 | $56.59 | 1,440 | 0.70 |
| 16 | Virginia | $116,720 | $56.12 | 620 | 1.03 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $114,100 | $54.85 | 1,360 | 2.56 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $110,970 | $53.35 | 40 | 0.90 |
| 19 | Alabama | $107,580 | $51.72 | 650 | 2.11 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $106,920 | $51.41 | 260 | 0.41 |
| 21 | Arizona | $106,810 | $51.35 | 580 | 1.23 |
| 22 | Ohio | $106,510 | $51.21 | 1,790 | 2.20 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $106,220 | $51.07 | 150 | 0.34 |
| 24 | Idaho | $105,820 | $50.88 | 90 | 0.71 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $104,240 | $50.11 | 640 | 0.88 |
| 26 | Arkansas | $103,900 | $49.95 | 90 | 0.48 |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $101,290 | $48.70 | 70 | 0.68 |
| 28 | Indiana | $101,120 | $48.62 | 570 | 1.21 |
| 29 | Georgia | $100,840 | $48.48 | 700 | 0.98 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $100,620 | $48.38 | 280 | 0.94 |
| 31 | Kansas | $100,000 | $48.08 | 270 | 1.28 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $99,950 | $48.05 | 240 | 0.97 |
| 33 | Nevada | $99,010 | $47.60 | 100 | 0.44 |
| 34 | Missouri | $98,860 | $47.53 | 300 | 0.70 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $98,270 | $47.24 | 160 | 1.06 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $98,030 | $47.13 | 720 | 0.81 |
| 37 | Maine | $97,110 | $46.69 | 100 | 1.08 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $96,210 | $46.25 | 280 | 0.66 |
| 39 | Michigan | $94,050 | $45.22 | 810 | 1.25 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $91,940 | $44.20 | 330 | 0.70 |
| 41 | Utah | $88,080 | $42.35 | 460 | 1.79 |
| 42 | Rhode Island | $87,180 | $41.91 | 50 | 0.66 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $78,700 | $37.84 | 100 | 0.59 |
| 44 | Montana | $76,030 | $36.56 | 90 | 1.25 |
| 45 | Iowa | $64,270 | $30.90 | 200 | 0.87 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do materials engineers make?
The median annual wage for materials engineers in the United States is $112,860, or $54.26 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $72,300, and the top 10% earn $175,720.
How many materials engineers are employed in the U.S.?
About 22,770 people work as materials engineers nationwide.
Which state pays materials engineers the most?
New Mexico pays the most at a median of $165,600, followed by Maryland ($140,640) and Washington ($139,840).
Which state pays materials engineers the least?
Iowa has the lowest median at $64,270.
Where are materials engineers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is New Mexico at 3.56×.