How much do Materials Engineers make in Columbia, SC?

Percentile spread

For Materials Engineers, the published 10th percentile is $72,320 and the 90th percentile is $176,740. The difference is $104,420, which is 86.1% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $78,990 to the 75th at $176,740, covers $97,750.

The mean annual wage is $129,410, which sits above the median of $121,290. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Columbia, SC median is 7.5% higher than the national median of $112,860 for Materials Engineers. In 2024 national prices the local median is $129,498, which is 14.7% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 0.3% lower than the South Carolina median of $121,610.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Columbia, SC is 93.662, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $121,290 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Materials Engineers at $129,498 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

8 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Materials Engineers. Columbia, SC ranks 2nd of 9 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• Spartanburg, SC is 70 miles away, with a median of $96,610 and employment of 30. That median is 20.3% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $106,105, against $129,498 here.
• Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC is 76 miles away, with a median of $104,910 and employment of 140. That median is 13.5% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $107,768, against $129,498 here.
• Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC is 89 miles away, with a median of $106,580 and employment of 230. That median is 12.1% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $114,283, against $129,498 here.

Employment share

Materials Engineers accounts for 0.01% of wage-and-salary employment in Columbia, SC (40 of 394,200). Nationally the occupation is 0.01% of employment (22,770 of 155,495,730). The local share is 0.69 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.