SOC 17-2131 · Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Materials Engineers

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries

U.S. median annual wage$112,860

U.S. median hourly wage$54.26

U.S. employment22,770

Nationally, materials engineers earned a median of $112,860 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 22,770 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.

National pay distribution

Pay by state

Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.

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Materials Engineers: pay and employment by state
State
New Mexico	$165,600	$79.61	450	0.5
Maryland	$140,640	$67.62	740	0.3
Washington	$139,840	$67.23	1,000	0.3
Delaware	$131,320	$63.14	40	0.1
Louisiana	$128,670	$61.86	90	0.0
California	$128,470	$61.77	3,020	0.2
Illinois	$126,620	$60.87	290	0.0
New York	$125,900	$60.53	590	0.1
Colorado	$124,030	$59.63	810	0.3
Alaska	$123,360	$59.31	70	0.2
Oregon	$122,850	$59.06	120	0.1
Connecticut	$122,300	$58.80	420	0.2
South Carolina	$121,610	$58.47	600	0.3
Florida	$118,780	$57.11	690	0.1
Texas	$117,700	$56.59	1,440	0.1
Virginia	$116,720	$56.12	620	0.2
Massachusetts	$114,100	$54.85	1,360	0.4
Wyoming	$110,970	$53.35	40	0.1
Alabama	$107,580	$51.72	650	0.3
New Jersey	$106,920	$51.41	260	0.1
Arizona	$106,810	$51.35	580	0.2
Ohio	$106,510	$51.21	1,790	0.3
Minnesota	$106,220	$51.07	150	0.1
Idaho	$105,820	$50.88	90	0.1
North Carolina	$104,240	$50.11	640	0.1
Arkansas	$103,900	$49.95	90	0.1
New Hampshire	$101,290	$48.70	70	0.1
Indiana	$101,120	$48.62	570	0.2
Georgia	$100,840	$48.48	700	0.1
Kentucky	$100,620	$48.38	280	0.1
Kansas	$100,000	$48.08	270	0.2
Oklahoma	$99,950	$48.05	240	0.1
Nevada	$99,010	$47.60	100	0.1
Missouri	$98,860	$47.53	300	0.1
Nebraska	$98,270	$47.24	160	0.2
Pennsylvania	$98,030	$47.13	720	0.1
Maine	$97,110	$46.69	100	0.2
Wisconsin	$96,210	$46.25	280	0.1
Michigan	$94,050	$45.22	810	0.2
Tennessee	$91,940	$44.20	330	0.1
Utah	$88,080	$42.35	460	0.3
Rhode Island	$87,180	$41.91	50	0.1
Mississippi	$78,700	$37.84	100	0.1
Montana	$76,030	$36.56	90	0.2
Iowa	$64,270	$30.90	200	0.1

Pay by metro area

All 91 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.

Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.

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Materials Engineers: pay and employment by metro area
Metro area
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$156,730	$75.35	550	0.5
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$156,130	$75.06	820	0.4
Boulder, CO	$151,940	$73.05	210	1.1
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$147,490	$70.91	330	0.0
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$144,010	$69.24	200	0.2
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$140,640	$67.62	660	0.2
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$138,430	$66.55	Not published	Not published
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH	$137,290	$66.01	260	0.7
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	$134,630	$64.73	130	0.3
Decatur, AL	$134,370	$64.60	50	0.9
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	$131,080	$63.02	200	0.5
Bakersfield-Delano, CA	$130,440	$62.71	50	0.2
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$130,040	$62.52	100	0.1
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$129,480	$62.25	340	0.1
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$128,250	$61.66	70	0.1
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$127,740	$61.41	380	0.3
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	$127,230	$61.17	160	0.1
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$125,750	$60.46	480	0.3
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$125,200	$60.19	1,250	0.2
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$125,190	$60.19	320	0.1
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	$124,990	$60.09	310	0.1
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$124,180	$59.70	260	0.2
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	$123,720	$59.48	130	0.5
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$123,250	$59.26	560	0.2
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	$122,450	$58.87	60	0.2
Columbia, SC	$121,290	$58.31	40	0.1
Huntsville, AL	$120,720	$58.04	280	1.0
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$117,700	$56.59	440	0.1
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	$117,000	$56.25	80	0.2
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	$116,720	$56.12	190	0.2
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	$116,510	$56.01	30	0.1
St. Louis, MO-IL	$114,670	$55.13	120	0.1
Worcester, MA	$114,100	$54.85	220	0.6
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$111,480	$53.60	1,020	0.4
Madison, WI	$111,050	$53.39	30	0.1
Tulsa, OK	$110,690	$53.22	70	0.2
Toledo, OH	$110,620	$53.18	260	0.9
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$110,350	$53.05	130	0.1
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$109,100	$52.45	90	0.1
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	$108,840	$52.33	60	0.1
Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC	$106,580	$51.24	230	0.5
Idaho Falls, ID	$106,560	$51.23	Not published	Not published
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	$106,450	$51.18	80	0.1
Cleveland, OH	$106,340	$51.12	270	0.3
Ann Arbor, MI	$105,950	$50.94	50	0.2
Youngstown-Warren, OH	$105,400	$50.68	30	0.2
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$104,910	$50.44	140	0.1
Mobile, AL	$104,610	$50.29	80	0.5
Columbus, OH	$104,370	$50.18	220	0.2
Jacksonville, FL	$104,360	$50.17	60	0.1
Raleigh-Cary, NC	$104,310	$50.15	Not published	Not published
Trenton-Princeton, NJ	$103,660	$49.84	50	0.2
Omaha, NE-IA	$103,410	$49.72	50	0.1
Chattanooga, TN-GA	$103,360	$49.69	70	0.3
Akron, OH	$102,630	$49.34	110	0.4
Richmond, VA	$102,440	$49.25	200	0.3
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	$101,670	$48.88	130	0.2
Kansas City, MO-KS	$101,230	$48.67	100	0.1
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$101,100	$48.61	530	0.2
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$100,850	$48.49	110	0.1
Ogden, UT	$100,770	$48.45	110	0.4
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$100,420	$48.28	40	0.1
Canton-Massillon, OH	$100,250	$48.20	30	0.2
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$100,070	$48.11	460	0.2
Wichita, KS	$100,000	$48.08	190	0.6
Birmingham, AL	$99,780	$47.97	120	0.2
Fort Wayne, IN	$99,640	$47.90	50	0.2
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$99,590	$47.88	250	0.1
Reading, PA	$99,040	$47.61	50	0.3
Waterbury-Shelton, CT	$98,460	$47.34	40	0.2
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	$98,440	$47.33	40	0.1
Greensboro-High Point, NC	$98,380	$47.30	170	0.5
Lincoln, NE	$96,960	$46.62	50	0.3
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	$96,790	$46.53	90	0.1
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$96,740	$46.51	130	0.0
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	$96,730	$46.51	90	0.1
Spartanburg, SC	$96,610	$46.45	30	0.2
Tucson, AZ	$95,930	$46.12	150	0.4
Oklahoma City, OK	$95,680	$46.00	100	0.2
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO	$94,700	$45.53	30	0.2
Pittsburgh, PA	$92,740	$44.59	120	0.1
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$89,040	$42.81	70	0.1
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN	$85,130	$40.93	40	0.3
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$85,000	$40.86	50	0.1
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI	$84,880	$40.81	100	0.2
Knoxville, TN	$83,240	$40.02	80	0.2
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	$82,800	$39.81	90	0.1
Lancaster, PA	$79,270	$38.11	30	0.1
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	$77,470	$37.24	250	0.3
Utica-Rome, NY	$71,820	$34.53	40	0.3
Peoria, IL	Not published	Not published	40	0.3

About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.