How much does a materials engineer make?
a year · about $54 an hour
A typical materials engineer in the United States makes $112,860 a year, about $54 an hour, about 2.2× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
An engineer may study a product plan, choose a material for strength, weight, heat resistance, and cost, then test samples in a lab or factory. They analyze results on a computer, investigate failures, and share fixes with the design team.
Did you know? NASA materials engineers can recreate the harsh space environment in a lab to test lightweight materials before they fly.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $72,300 and $175,720How do you become one?
Earn a bachelor’s in materials science or related engineering; internships help, and most start after college in their early 20s. Entry-level jobs need no license; experienced engineers can get a state PE license after work experience and FE and PE exams.
School needed: Usually a bachelor's degree
Good for people who like building and doing and figuring things out
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay can differ with experience, in-demand skills, and credentials such as a PE license. It also varies by employer and industry, location, and job responsibility; materials engineers may specialize in metals, ceramics, plastics, or other materials.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Maryland ($140,640), lowest in Michigan ($94,050).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
In Japan, a metals engineer averages $40,462. Materials engineer salary in Japan
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $72,300 | $112,860 | $175,720 | about 23,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $140,640 | about 740 |
| Washington | $139,840 | about 1,000 |
| California | $128,470 | about 3,000 |
| New York | $125,900 | about 590 |
| Colorado | $124,030 | about 810 |
Official definition: Evaluate materials and develop machinery and processes to manufacture materials for use in products that must meet specialized design and performance specifications. Develop new uses for known materials. Includes those engineers working with composite materials or specializing in one type of material, such as graphite, metal and metal alloys, ceramics and glass, plastics and polymers, and naturally occurring materials. Includes metallurgists and metallurgical engineers, ceramic engineers, and welding engineers.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/materials-engineers.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/17-2131.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/light_but_strong_022616.pdf
- ncees.org/engineering/engineering-licensure
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY