Material Developer Salary in the United States

How much does a Material Developer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Material Developer in the United States is $105,502 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $51.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $123,607
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $95,726 to $114,979
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $86,825

Key Factors That Influence Material Developer Salaries

A Material Developer'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 Material Developer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Material Developer'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): $78,371
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $92,588
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $104,805
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $127,982
  • Expert (over 8 years): $156,535
Levels Salary
Materials... Level Material Developer$78,371
Materials... Level Material Developer$92,588
Material ... Level Material Developer$104,805
Materials... Level Material Developer$127,982
Materials... Level Material Developer$156,535

How Do Material Developer 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 Material Developers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $116,812.
  • California: $116,369.
  • Massachusetts: $114,818.

Top Paying Cities for Material Developers

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: $133,070
  • San Francisco: $131,613
  • Oakland: $128,839

What Skills Can Increase a Material Developer'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.
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 Material Developer'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 $112,887
7%
Results Oriented $112,887
7%
Chemistry $110,777
5%

Material Developer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Material Developer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 120% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Chemicals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 60% above the average. In contrast, Material Developer positions in Aerospace & Defense or Business Services typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Material Developer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Material Developer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$168,803$81.060%
Chemicals$158,253$76.050%
Retail & Wholesale$152,978$74.045%
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit$147,703$71.040%
Telecom$142,428$68.035%

How Education impacts a Material Developer's Salary?

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

Material Developer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Material Developer
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%

Material Developer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Material Developer'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
$95,726
Average $105,502/year
$114,979
$7,977
Average $8,792/month
$9,582
$1,841
Average $2,029/week
$2,211
$46
Average $51/hour
$55
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $114,979 $9,582 $2,211 $55
Average $105,502 $8,792 $2,029 $51
25th Percentile $95,726 $7,977 $1,841 $46

Most common benefits for Material Developer

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

Common company salaries for Material Developer

Here are companies hiring for Material Developer and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Material Developer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Material Developer?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Material Developer roles, with salaries approximately 60% above the market median.

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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