Materials Engineer salary in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Materials Engineers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn a median of $156,730 a year ($75.35 an hour), based on BLS data for 550 workers.
Pay ranges from $101,450 for the lowest-paid 10% to $218,760 for the top 10%. That is 39% higher than the national median of $112,860. Pay here is 22% higher than the California statewide median of $128,470. There are 0.49 materials engineers per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 3.3× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $156,740, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for materials engineers in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $101,450 | $48.78 |
| 25th percentile | $130,770 | $62.87 |
| Median | $156,730 | $75.35 |
| 75th percentile | $180,130 | $86.60 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $218,760 | $105.17 |
| Average (mean) | $156,740 | $75.36 |
Half of materials engineers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $13,060.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $6,530.42 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $6,028.08 |
| Weekly | $3,014.04 |
| Hourly | $75.35 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Materials Engineer salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $130,440 | 50 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $130,040 | 100 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $129,480 | 340 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $125,200 | 1,250 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $124,180 | 260 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $122,450 | 60 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $109,100 | 90 |
Highest-paying states for materials engineers
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| New Mexico | $165,600 |
| Maryland | $140,640 |
| Washington | $139,840 |
| Delaware | $131,320 |
| Louisiana | $128,670 |
| California | $128,470 |
| Illinois | $126,620 |
| New York | $125,900 |
| Colorado | $124,030 |
| Alaska | $123,360 |
See Materials Engineer pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $209,860 | $100.89 |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | $194,370 | $93.45 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $168,030 | $80.79 |
| Engineers, All Other | $169,650 | $81.56 |
| Industrial Engineer | $136,950 | $65.84 |
| Electrical Engineer | $187,060 | $89.93 |
| Civil Engineer | $130,280 | $62.64 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $181,630 | $87.32 |
| Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers | $136,450 | $65.60 |
| Environmental Engineer | $125,550 | $60.36 |
| Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | $143,050 | $68.77 |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $95,280 | $45.81 |
| Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $90,660 | $43.59 |
| Architects, Except Landscape and Naval | $129,640 | $62.33 |
More: Architecture and Engineering Occupations · all salaries in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 17-2131. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a materials engineer make in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
The median salary for materials engineers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $156,730 a year, or $75.35 an hour. Pay ranges from $101,450 for the lowest-paid 10% to $218,760 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid materials engineers make in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
The top 10% of materials engineers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn at least $218,760 a year. The top 25% earn $180,130 or more.
What is the starting pay for materials engineers in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $101,450 a year, and a quarter of materials engineers earn $130,770 or less.
How many materials engineers work in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
About 550 materials engineers are employed in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.