Know your market value with insights across roles — from individual contributors to executive pay and overall company compensation trends.
Access a suite of powerful calculators to make data-driven career decisions.
Automate pay cycles, manage job architectures, and ensure pay equity with AI-powered compensation platforms.
Access validated salary benchmarks, labor market trends, and minimum wage data to stay competitive.
Participate in and purchase industry-specific salary surveys to obtain the most accurate, peer-reported pay data.
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Materials Engineer in California is $115,712 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $56.
However, a Materials Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI Onboarding
AI-Powered HR
Materials Engineer Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $126,221 | $10,518 | $2,427 | $61 |
| Average | $115,712 | $9,643 | $2,225 | $56 |
| 25th Percentile | $105,061 | $8,755 | $2,020 | $51 |
Freeform - Los Angeles, CA
HRL Laboratories, LLC - Los Angeles County, CA
HRL Laboratories, LLC - Los Angeles, CA
General Matter - Los Angeles, CA
A 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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
Experience is a primary driver of a 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:
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Materials... Level Materials Engineer | $85,953 |
| Materials... Level Materials Engineer | $101,540 |
| Materials... Level Materials Engineer | $114,940 |
| Materials... Level Materials Engineer | $140,345 |
| Materials... Level Materials Engineer | $171,666 |
What Am I Worth?
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 Materials Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
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:
For Materials Engineer 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, Materials Engineer positions in Aerospace & Defense or Business Services typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Materials Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
| Industry Sector | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Pay vs.Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biotechnology | $185,140 | $89.0 | 60% |
| Chemicals | $173,569 | $83.0 | 50% |
| Retail & Wholesale | $167,783 | $81.0 | 45% |
| Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit | $161,997 | $78.0 | 40% |
| Telecom | $156,212 | $75.0 | 35% |
Understanding how a 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.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $126,221 | $10,518 | $2,427 | $61 |
| Average | $115,712 | $9,643 | $2,225 | $56 |
| 25th Percentile | $105,061 | $8,755 | $2,020 | $51 |
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Materials Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
E-Space
Saratoga, CA
E-Space | Saratoga, CA
Job Description. Job Description. Ready to make connectivity from space universally accessible, secure and actionable. Then you’ve come to the right place.... more
5 Days Ago
Apple
Cupertino, CA
Apple | Cupertino, CA
Role Number: 200648552-0836SummaryDo you love working on challenges that no one has solved yet. Do you like changing the game. Envision what you could do h... more
7 Days Ago
Divergent
Torrance, CA
Divergent | Torrance, CA
Job Description. Job Description. Divergent is a technology company that has architected, invented, built, and commercialized an end-to-end factory system ... more
6 Days Ago
ECS Ltd
ABERDEEN, MD
ECS Ltd | ABERDEEN, MD
What You'll Do. No experience necessary, paid training is provided, and we pay your certification fees. ECS Limited is offering a unique opportunity for a ... more
26 Days Ago
FM
GLOCESTER, RI
FM | GLOCESTER, RI
Job Description: FM Approvals is an international leader in third-party testing and certification services. We test property loss prevention products and s... more
3 Days Ago
Curbs Plus, Inc.
EL DORADO, KS
Curbs Plus, Inc. | EL DORADO, KS
Materials Coordinator Job Title: Materials Coordinator Hours: 7am - 330pm - OT as needed Job Summary: The Materials Coordinator is responsible for managing... more
3 Days Ago
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.
Explore Cost of Living CalculatorSalary.com experts will help you thrive your workplaces.
Salary.com provides salary survey data for thousands of industry Jobs.
Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:
