Materials Scientists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for materials scientistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$189,460
- Oregon$154,140
- District of Columbia$141,040
- Washington$139,140
- New York$138,200
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $189,460 | $177,030 | $91 | +50.2% | 1,030 |
| 2 | Oregon | $154,140 | $150,550 | $74 | +22.2% | 100 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $141,040 | $137,600 | $68 | +11.8% | — |
| 4 | Washington | $139,140 | $127,250 | $67 | +10.3% | 290 |
| 5 | New York | $138,200 | $131,740 | $66 | +9.5% | 530 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $133,360 | $132,600 | $64 | +5.7% | 890 |
| 7 | Illinois | $129,980 | $125,850 | $62 | +3% | 380 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $128,460 | $130,320 | $62 | +1.8% | 50 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $128,070 | $137,700 | $62 | +1.5% | 70 |
| 10 | Indiana | $127,210 | $130,540 | $61 | +0.8% | 320 |
| 11 | Utah | $126,590 | $126,840 | $61 | +0.3% | 110 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $126,200 | $119,990 | $61 | +0% | 80 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $125,000 | $132,160 | $60 | -0.9% | 290 |
| 14 | Virginia | $124,880 | $124,150 | $60 | -1% | 100 |
| 15 | Kansas | $118,360 | $115,490 | $57 | -6.2% | 40 |
| 16 | Colorado | $118,330 | $117,290 | $57 | -6.2% | 370 |
| 17 | Michigan | $117,800 | $107,410 | $57 | -6.6% | 230 |
| 18 | Maryland | $113,450 | $112,400 | $55 | -10.1% | 270 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $110,700 | $106,470 | $53 | -12.3% | 490 |
| 20 | Ohio | $110,640 | $108,830 | $53 | -12.3% | 450 |
| 21 | Florida | $108,590 | $102,340 | $52 | -13.9% | 200 |
| 22 | New Jersey | $107,960 | $103,150 | $52 | -14.4% | 440 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $107,370 | $106,920 | $52 | -14.9% | 100 |
| 24 | South Carolina | $105,730 | $101,930 | $51 | -16.2% | 80 |
| 25 | Georgia | $99,800 | $91,970 | $48 | -20.9% | 350 |
| 26 | Iowa | $99,050 | $88,320 | $48 | -21.5% | 180 |
| 27 | Nevada | $96,880 | $97,490 | $47 | -23.2% | 100 |
| 28 | Texas | $90,480 | $72,700 | $44 | -28.3% | 300 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $81,300 | $69,010 | $39 | -35.6% | 60 |
| 30 | Montana | $75,610 | $71,810 | $36 | -40.1% | 50 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 38 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $231,920 | $225,780 | 180 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $231,710 | $225,960 | 380 |
| 3 | Worcester, MA | $151,070 | $150,530 | 80 |
| 4 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $150,550 | $151,750 | 90 |
| 5 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $149,980 | $154,850 | 200 |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $137,520 | $142,280 | 50 |
| 7 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $133,340 | $140,350 | 460 |
| 8 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $132,650 | $138,310 | 150 |
| 9 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $132,600 | $132,890 | 700 |
| 10 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $132,160 | $124,850 | 270 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing materials scientistss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | $153,820 | $148,030 | 110 |
| 2 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $152,730 | $144,330 | 50 |
| 3 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $152,730 | $144,330 | 50 |
| 4 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $141,920 | $132,650 | 260 |
| 5 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $141,920 | $137,290 | 190 |
| 6 | Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $137,610 | $147,680 | — |
| 7 | Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $136,120 | $128,770 | 100 |
| 8 | Textile Mills | $135,470 | $131,690 | 60 |
| 9 | Fabric Mills | $135,470 | $136,180 | 50 |
| 10 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | $135,120 | $134,490 | 120 |
| 11 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | $134,770 | $140,670 | 240 |
| 12 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | $133,480 | $133,450 | 120 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do materials scientists make in the U.S.?
The median materials scientists salary in the United States is $117,790 per year (mean $126,180), and about 80% earn between $66,820 and $197,290.
How much do materials scientists make per hour?
Roughly $61 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $126,180 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays materials scientists the most?
California has the highest average pay for materials scientists at $189,460 per year (median $177,030).
What is the job outlook for materials scientists?
Employment is projected to change +4.9% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 600 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.