Materials Scientists pay in the United States

In the U.S., the median pay for materials scientists is $56.63 an hour ($117,790 a year). About 8,470 people work in this job there.

$56.63Median hourly pay

$89,990–$150,550Middle half of workers, yearly

8,470People in this job in the U.S.

Pay range for materials scientists in the U.S.

Earns more than	Hourly	Yearly
10% of workers	$32.13	$66,820
25% of workers	$43.26	$89,990
Half of workers (median)	$56.63	$117,790
75% of workers	$72.38	$150,550
90% of workers	$94.85	$197,290

Best-paying states for materials scientists

State	Median yearly pay	People in this job
California	$177,030	1,030
Oregon	$150,550	100
Wisconsin	$137,700	70
District of Columbia	$137,600	0
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

Pay by state

California · $177,030
Massachusetts · $132,600
New York · $131,740

Education, experience and outlook for materials scientists

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree (BLS)
Job outlook: +8.3% over ten years, much faster than average · about 600 openings a year (BLS)

Related jobs in the U.S.

Job	Median yearly pay
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health	$82,220
Chemists	$91,240
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers	$101,920
Physical Scientists, All Other	$122,570
Physicists	$172,250
Atmospheric and Space Scientists	$99,070
Hydrologists	$96,600
Astronomers	$128,820

Other job titles for this job

Applications ScientistR and D ScientistMaterials ScientistMetal Alloy ScientistMicro Electrical/mechanical Systems Device ScientistPlastics ScientistPolymer Materials ConsultantPolymer SpecialistResearch Development Specialist

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Figures are for wage and salary workers and do not include the self-employed. The median is the middle wage: half earn more, half earn less. Other job titles: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.