Average Salary for Materials Scientists
SOC 19-2032 · Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Materials Scientists in the United States is $104,160 ($50.08/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $61,460 at the 10th percentile to $168,500 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 8,330 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 13.2% since 2014.
Median Annual
$104,160
Mean Annual
$111,410
10th Pct
$61,460
75th Pct
$134,140
Employment
8,330
Salary Distribution
$61k
10th
$80k
25th
$104k
Median
$134k
75th
$169k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $156,530 |
| Worcester, MA | $142,900 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $135,510 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $133,530 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $131,530 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $130,440 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $126,980 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $126,950 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $126,240 |
| Madison, WI | $120,520 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $120,340 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $119,600 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $119,300 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $118,010 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $109,080 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $136,300 |
| California | $131,530 |
| Colorado | $126,980 |
| New York | $125,490 |
| Florida | $122,910 |
| Wisconsin | $120,520 |
| Illinois | $120,320 |
| Virginia | $118,820 |
| Utah | $118,720 |
| Massachusetts | $118,270 |
| Oklahoma | $115,840 |
| Minnesota | $114,070 |
| Washington | $110,470 |
| Maryland | $106,320 |
| Oregon | $103,980 |
| Pennsylvania | $103,060 |
| Ohio | $101,950 |
| Kansas | $98,110 |
| Delaware | $98,020 |
| Iowa | $95,990 |
| Indiana | $94,900 |
| North Carolina | $94,730 |
| Michigan | $93,350 |
| South Carolina | $87,920 |
| Nevada | $86,010 |
| Maine | $83,370 |
| New Jersey | $83,120 |
| Georgia | $81,420 |
| Texas | $80,560 |
| Montana | $56,750 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Materials Scientists broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | $141,050 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | $137,520 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $135,830 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | $134,540 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | $131,860 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | $130,450 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | $130,300 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $130,010 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $128,500 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | $128,490 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | $127,750 |
| Textile Mills | $127,150 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $126,240 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $124,660 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $124,660 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $124,660 |
| Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $118,010 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $118,010 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $113,380 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $113,380 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $113,380 |
| Manufacturing | $109,320 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $109,070 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | $108,750 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $107,620 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $106,190 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $106,130 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $106,130 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | $106,010 |
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | $104,020 |
| Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | $103,180 |
| Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | $103,060 |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | $101,700 |
| Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | $100,670 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | $100,400 |
| Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | $99,980 |
| Paper Manufacturing | $99,960 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | $99,520 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $99,440 |
| Educational Services | $99,440 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $97,760 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $97,200 |
| Wholesale Trade | $96,980 |
| Rubber Product Manufacturing | $95,940 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | $94,810 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $86,490 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $86,490 |
| Foundries | $80,100 |
| Educational Services | $80,050 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $79,680 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $78,900 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) | $78,590 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $77,530 |
| Testing Laboratories and Services | $76,040 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $74,990 |
| Engineering Services | $74,990 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | $72,590 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $67,300 |
| Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | $49,020 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $45,890 |
| Construction | $45,890 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | $45,890 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $104,160 |
| 2023 | $106,160 |
| 2022 | $104,380 |
| 2021 | $100,090 |
| 2020 | $99,460 |
| 2019 | $96,810 |
| 2018 | $99,800 |
| 2017 | $99,530 |
| 2016 | $99,430 |
| 2015 | $91,000 |
| 2014 | $91,980 |