SOC 19-2032 · Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

Materials Scientists

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

U.S. median annual wage$117,790

U.S. median hourly wage$56.63

U.S. employment8,470

Nationally, materials scientists earned a median of $117,790 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 8,470 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 Scientists: pay and employment by state
State
California	$177,030	$85.11	1,030	0.1
Oregon	$150,550	$72.38	100	0.1
Wisconsin	$137,700	$66.20	70	0.0
District of Columbia	$137,600	$66.16	Not published	Not published
Massachusetts	$132,600	$63.75	890	0.2
Minnesota	$132,160	$63.54	290	0.1
New York	$131,740	$63.34	530	0.1
Indiana	$130,540	$62.76	320	0.1
Connecticut	$130,320	$62.65	50	0.0
Washington	$127,250	$61.18	290	0.1
Utah	$126,840	$60.98	110	0.1
Illinois	$125,850	$60.50	380	0.1
Virginia	$124,150	$59.69	100	0.0
New Hampshire	$119,990	$57.69	80	0.1
Colorado	$117,290	$56.39	370	0.1
Kansas	$115,490	$55.52	40	0.0
Maryland	$112,400	$54.04	270	0.1
Ohio	$108,830	$52.32	450	0.1
Michigan	$107,410	$51.64	230	0.1
Pennsylvania	$106,920	$51.41	100	0.0
North Carolina	$106,470	$51.19	490	0.1
New Jersey	$103,150	$49.59	440	0.1
Florida	$102,340	$49.20	200	0.0
South Carolina	$101,930	$49.01	80	0.0
Nevada	$97,490	$46.87	100	0.1
Georgia	$91,970	$44.22	350	0.1
Iowa	$88,320	$42.46	180	0.1
Texas	$72,700	$34.95	300	0.0
Montana	$71,810	$34.53	50	0.1
Tennessee	$69,010	$33.18	60	0.0
Delaware	Not published	Not published	90	0.2

Pay by metro area

All 37 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 Scientists: pay and employment by metro area
Metro area
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$231,920	$111.50	180	0.2
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$231,710	$111.40	380	0.2
Worcester, MA	$151,070	$72.63	80	0.2
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$150,550	$72.38	90	0.1
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$149,980	$72.11	200	0.0
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$137,520	$66.11	50	0.0
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$133,340	$64.10	460	0.1
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	$132,650	$63.77	150	0.3
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$132,600	$63.75	700	0.3
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$132,160	$63.54	270	0.1
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$129,050	$62.04	50	0.0
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$127,490	$61.29	120	0.0
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$127,470	$61.29	180	0.1
Boulder, CO	$126,880	$61.00	60	0.3
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	$123,070	$59.17	110	0.3
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$120,650	$58.00	560	0.1
Trenton-Princeton, NJ	$117,650	$56.56	60	0.2
Cleveland, OH	$111,810	$53.75	50	0.1
Akron, OH	$109,720	$52.75	70	0.2
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$107,650	$51.75	100	0.1
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$107,500	$51.68	200	0.2
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$106,720	$51.31	240	0.2
Greensboro-High Point, NC	$106,470	$51.19	60	0.2
Columbus, OH	$104,430	$50.21	80	0.1
Rochester, NY	$102,890	$49.47	40	0.1
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$102,070	$49.07	60	0.0
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	$101,120	$48.62	30	0.0
Reno, NV	$97,750	$47.00	60	0.2
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$96,050	$46.18	80	0.1
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$93,240	$44.83	240	0.1
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$92,390	$44.42	130	0.1
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$82,080	$39.46	60	0.0
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$75,360	$36.23	90	0.0
College Station-Bryan, TX	$63,390	$30.48	60	0.5
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$60,690	$29.18	40	0.1
Ann Arbor, MI	Not published	Not published	60	0.3
Raleigh-Cary, NC	Not published	Not published	120	0.2

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.