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Intermediate Materials Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does an Intermediate Materials Engineer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Intermediate Materials Engineer in the United States is $90,400 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $43.

However, an Intermediate Materials Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $101,290
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $82,600 to $96,100
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $75,499
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Intermediate Materials Engineer Salaries

An Intermediate Materials Engineer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Intermediate Materials Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Intermediate Materials Engineer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry Materials Engineer (0-2 years): $76,512
  • Intermediate Materials Engineer (2-4 years): $90,391
  • Materials Evaluation and Analysis Engineer III (4-7 years): $102,319
  • Materials Evaluation and Analysis Engineer IV (7+ years): $124,946
  • Expert Materials Engineer (7-10 years): $152,821
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Entry Materials Engineer0-2 years$76,512
Intermediate Materials Engineer2-4 years$90,391
Materials Evaluation and Analysis Engineer III4-7 years$102,319
Materials Evaluation and Analysis Engineer IV7+ years$124,946
Expert Materials Engineer7-10 years$152,821
View as Graph

How Do Intermediate Materials Engineer Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Intermediate Materials Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $100,100.
  • California: $99,800.
  • Massachusetts: $98,400.

Top Paying Cities for Intermediate Materials Engineers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $114,100
  • San Francisco: $112,800
  • Oakland: $110,400

What Skills Can Increase an Intermediate Materials Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 17.06% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Economics (Mentioned in 1.76% Job Postings): Economics is a social science that focuses on the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, and analyzes the choices that individuals, businesses, governments, and nations make to allocate resources.
  • Continuous Improvement (Mentioned in 1.18% Job Postings): A continual improvement process, also often called a continuous improvement process (abbreviated as CIP or CI), is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. Delivery (customer valued) processes are constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. Some see CIPs as a meta-process for most management systems (such as business process management, quality management, project management, and program management). W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of the field, saw it as part of the 'system' whereby feedback from the process and customer were evaluated against organisational goals. The fact that it can be called a management process does not mean that it needs to be executed by 'management'; but rather merely that it makes decisions about the implementation of the delivery process and the design of the delivery process itself.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 17.06%
Economics 1.76%
Continuous Improvement 1.18%
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What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Intermediate Materials Engineer's salary.

  • Process Development: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Failure Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Casting: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Process Development $98,536
9%
Failure Analysis $98,536
9%
Casting $97,632
8%
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Intermediate Materials Engineer Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Intermediate Materials Engineer salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $101,213. While startup companies pay approximate $85,670.

Intermediate Materials Engineer Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $85,670
Growth Stage 51~500 $90,587
Established 501~5000 $97,750
Enterprise 5000+ $101,213

Intermediate Materials Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Intermediate Materials Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 68% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Intermediate Materials Engineer positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Intermediate Materials Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Intermediate Materials Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$117,520$56.030%
Biotechnology$113,000$54.025%
Software & Networking$108,480$52.020%
Energy & Utilities$103,960$50.015%
Aerospace & Defense$101,248$49.012%

How Education impacts an Intermediate Materials Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Intermediate Materials Engineers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Intermediate Materials Engineer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $90,015 and $94,863).

Intermediate Materials Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Intermediate Materials Engineer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.9%
High School 0.9%
Associates 44.7%
Bachelors 43.9%
Masters 44.7%
Doctorate 10.5%
View as Graph

Intermediate Materials Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Intermediate Materials Engineer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$82,600
Average $90,400/year
$96,100
$6,883
Average $7,533/month
$8,008
$1,588
Average $1,738/week
$1,848
$40
Average $43/hour
$46
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $96,100 $8,008 $1,848 $46
Average $90,400 $7,533 $1,738 $43
25th Percentile $82,600 $6,883 $1,588 $40

Intermediate Materials Engineer Salary Growth & Career Path

Intermediate Materials Engineer

Next Role

Advancement

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As an Intermediate Materials Engineer, you have the following paths for advancement. The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles. By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.

Next Step Role Estimate Salary Projected Raise
Senior Ceramics Manufacturing Engineer $99,500 10%
Materials Evaluation and Analysis Engineer III $102,400 13%
Alloy and Materials Engineer III $99,500 10%

Most common benefits for Intermediate Materials Engineer

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Intermediate Materials Engineer

Here are companies hiring for Intermediate Materials Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Intermediate Materials Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Intermediate Materials Engineer?

The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Intermediate Materials Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

2. Why are engineers so highly paid?

Engineers, including Intermediate Materials Engineers, earn competitive salaries ranging from $86,100 to $104,600. Their high pay reflects the advanced technical skills required in a rapidly evolving job market. As industries become more technical, the demand for engineers with specialized knowledge and soft skills continues to rise, justifying their substantial earnings.

3. What engineers make $200,000 a year?

Engineers typically earning around $200,000 a year are often in specialized roles or senior positions. For example, Senior Mixed Signal Design Engineers at companies like NVIDIA or AI Software Engineers in emerging tech sectors may reach this salary level. In contrast, an Intermediate Materials Engineer earns between $86,100 and $104,600 annually, reflecting a different career stage and specialization.

4. What is the highest salary for a material engineer?

The highest salary for an Intermediate Materials Engineer is $104,600. However, in certain cities, salaries can be significantly higher. For example, in Sunnyvale, CA, the average salary reaches $159,875, while Seattle, WA offers around $157,972. Other notable cities include Irvine, CA at $141,688 and Cupertino, CA at $138,863.

5. Can engineers make 500k a year?

Yes, while some engineers can earn high salaries, not all will reach $500k annually. For an Intermediate Materials Engineer, salaries typically range from $86,100 to $104,600. Achieving a higher compensation often involves joining a high-growth company early on, where equity can significantly boost overall earnings if the company succeeds.

6. What engineers make over 300k?

Engineers typically making over $300k include Senior Engineering Directors, Directors of Software Engineering, and specialized roles like HPC Software Engineers. However, an Intermediate Materials Engineer earns between $86,100 and $104,600, which is below the $300k threshold. To reach higher salaries, consider advancing to senior or specialized engineering positions.

7. Is 40 of billionaires are engineers?

Did you know that 40% of the world's billionaires are engineers? Engineers play a pivotal role in shaping our world and its development, serving as stewards who provide direction for nations. In fields like materials engineering, professionals earn between $86,100 and $104,600, reflecting the value of their expertise in driving innovation and progress.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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