Materials Scientist salary in the U.S.
Materials Scientists in the U.S. earn a median of $117,790 a year ($56.63 an hour), based on BLS data for 8,470 workers.
Pay ranges from $66,820 for the lowest-paid 10% to $197,290 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $126,180, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for materials scientists in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $66,820 | $32.13 |
| 25th percentile | $89,990 | $43.26 |
| Median | $117,790 | $56.63 |
| 75th percentile | $150,550 | $72.38 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $197,290 | $94.85 |
| Average (mean) | $126,180 | $60.67 |
Half of materials scientists 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 | $9,815.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,907.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $4,530.38 |
| Weekly | $2,265.19 |
| Hourly | $56.63 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Materials Scientist salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | $177,030 | 1,030 |
| Oregon | $150,550 | 100 |
| Wisconsin | $137,700 | 70 |
| District of Columbia | $137,600 | n/a |
| Massachusetts | $132,600 | 890 |
| Minnesota | $132,160 | 290 |
| New York | $131,740 | 530 |
| Indiana | $130,540 | 320 |
| Connecticut | $130,320 | 50 |
| Washington | $127,250 | 290 |
| Utah | $126,840 | 110 |
| Illinois | $125,850 | 380 |
| Virginia | $124,150 | 100 |
| New Hampshire | $119,990 | 80 |
| Colorado | $117,290 | 370 |
| Kansas | $115,490 | 40 |
| Maryland | $112,400 | 270 |
| Ohio | $108,830 | 450 |
| Michigan | $107,410 | 230 |
| Pennsylvania | $106,920 | 100 |
| North Carolina | $106,470 | 490 |
| New Jersey | $103,150 | 440 |
| Florida | $102,340 | 200 |
| South Carolina | $101,930 | 80 |
| Nevada | $97,490 | 100 |
| Georgia | $91,970 | 350 |
| Iowa | $88,320 | 180 |
| Texas | $72,700 | 300 |
| Montana | $71,810 | 50 |
| Tennessee | $69,010 | 60 |
Best-paying metro areas for materials scientists
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $231,920 | 180 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $231,710 | 380 |
| Worcester, MA | $151,070 | 80 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $150,550 | 90 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $149,980 | 200 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $137,520 | 50 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $133,340 | 460 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $132,650 | 150 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $132,600 | 700 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $132,160 | 270 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $129,050 | 50 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $127,490 | 120 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $127,470 | 180 |
| Boulder, CO | $126,880 | 60 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $123,070 | 110 |
Metro areas with the most materials scientists
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 700 | $132,600 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 560 | $120,650 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 460 | $133,340 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 380 | $231,710 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 270 | $132,160 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 240 | $93,240 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 240 | $106,720 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 200 | $107,500 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 200 | $149,980 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 180 | $127,470 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 180 | $231,920 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 150 | $132,650 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 130 | $92,390 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 120 | $127,490 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 110 | $123,070 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $82,220 | $39.53 |
| Chemist | $91,240 | $43.87 |
| Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | $101,920 | $49.00 |
| Physical Scientists, All Other | $122,570 | $58.93 |
| Physicist | $172,250 | $82.81 |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientists | $99,070 | $47.63 |
| Hydrologist | $96,600 | $46.44 |
| Astronomer | $128,820 | $61.94 |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 | $49.72 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $90,150 | $43.34 |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $100,580 | $48.36 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | $62,280 | $29.94 |
| Biological Technician | $57,510 | $27.65 |
| School Psychologist | $95,990 | $46.15 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 19-2032. 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 scientist make in the U.S.?
The median salary for materials scientists in the U.S. is $117,790 a year, or $56.63 an hour. Pay ranges from $66,820 for the lowest-paid 10% to $197,290 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid materials scientists make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of materials scientists in the U.S. earn at least $197,290 a year. The top 25% earn $150,550 or more.
What is the starting pay for materials scientists in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $66,820 a year, and a quarter of materials scientists earn $89,990 or less.
How many materials scientists work in the U.S.?
About 8,470 materials scientists are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.