Materials Tech Salary in the United States

How much does a Materials Tech make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Materials Tech in the United States is $122,646 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $59.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $144,223
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $112,246 to $133,940
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $102,777
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View as table View as graph 25% $112,246 10% $102,777 90% $144,223 75% $133,940 $122,646 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Materials Tech Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $133,940 $11,162 $2,576 $64
Average $122,646 $10,221 $2,359 $59
25th Percentile $112,246 $9,354 $2,159 $54
Check out Materials Tech Job Openings in the United States
Night-Shift Inventory Control Tech – Healthcare Materials

The MetroHealth System (Cleveland, OH) - Cleveland, OH

Night-Shift Inventory Control Tech, Materials Mgmt

MetroHealth - Cleveland, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Materials Tech Salaries

A Materials Tech'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 Materials Tech Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Materials Tech'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-Level (less than 1 year): $77,870
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $91,974
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $104,113
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $127,080
  • Expert (over 8 years): $155,480
Levels Salary
Materials... Level Materials Tech$77,870
Materials... Level Materials Tech$91,974
Materials... Level Materials Tech$104,113
Materials... Level Materials Tech$127,080
Materials... Level Materials Tech$155,480
$77,870 0 yr
$91,974 < 2 yrs
$104,113 2-4 yrs
$127,080 5-8 yrs
$155,480 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Materials Teches

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: $154,693
  • San Francisco: $153,173
  • Oakland: $149,775

What Skills Can Increase a Materials Tech's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 17.04% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Test Plans (Mentioned in 2.25% Job Postings): A test plan is a document detailing the objectives, resources, and processes for a specific test for a software or hardware product. The plan typically contains a detailed understanding of the eventual workflow.
  • Continuous Improvement (Mentioned in 1.29% 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.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 17.04%
Test Plans 2.25%
Continuous Improvement 1.29%
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 a Materials Tech's salary.
  • Process Development: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Results Oriented: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Chemistry: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Process Development
$131,231
7%
Results Oriented
$131,231
7%
Chemistry
$128,778
5%
Welding
$128,778
5%
Test Plans
$128,778
5%
SEM
$128,778
5%
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How Education impacts a Materials Tech's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Materials Teches 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 a Materials Tech with a Bachelor's Degree is between $109,784 and $115,619).

Materials Tech Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Materials Tech
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.0%
High School 1.0%
Associates 1.0%
Bachelors 21.8%
Masters 31.7%
Doctorate 44.6%
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Materials Tech Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Materials Tech'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 April 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Materials Tech

Salaries for a Materials Tech can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $109,441 in 2023 to around $107,505 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Materials Tech salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Materials Tech Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$109,441
2024
$108,697
2025
$107,505
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $109,441
2024 $108,697
2025 $107,505
2026
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2027
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Most common benefits for Materials Tech

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Materials Tech

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

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Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Materials Tech job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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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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