SOC 19-2032 · Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
Materials Scientists wages by metro
National median annual wage
$117,790
- 10th percentile
- $66,820
- 25th percentile
- $89,990
- Median
- $117,790
- 75th percentile
- $150,550
- 90th percentile
- $197,290
- Mean
- $126,180
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 8,470.
That median is 131.1% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 180 | $145,330 | $231,920 | $308,680 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 380 | $134,780 | $231,710 | $300,330 |
| Worcester, MA | 80 | $97,870 | $151,070 | $173,410 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 90 | $98,510 | $150,550 | $199,000 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 200 | $95,870 | $149,980 | $233,890 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 50 | $89,900 | $137,520 | $207,950 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 460 | $93,240 | $133,340 | $197,910 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 150 | $90,420 | $132,650 | $176,870 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 700 | $96,310 | $132,600 | $169,330 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 270 | $83,510 | $132,160 | $172,190 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 50 | $92,460 | $129,050 | $172,740 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 120 | $78,930 | $127,490 | $166,700 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 180 | $72,890 | $127,470 | $171,560 |
| Boulder, CO | 60 | $82,960 | $126,880 | $171,900 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 110 | $64,670 | $123,070 | $173,020 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 560 | $79,450 | $120,650 | $179,270 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 60 | $86,610 | $117,650 | $163,890 |
| Cleveland, OH | 50 | $86,070 | $111,810 | $145,910 |
| Akron, OH | 70 | $93,780 | $109,720 | $138,470 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 100 | $58,740 | $107,650 | $167,940 |
Where employment is largest
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 700 | $96,310 | $132,600 | $169,330 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 560 | $79,450 | $120,650 | $179,270 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 460 | $93,240 | $133,340 | $197,910 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 380 | $134,780 | $231,710 | $300,330 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 270 | $83,510 | $132,160 | $172,190 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 240 | $63,820 | $93,240 | $155,820 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 240 | $69,140 | $106,720 | $182,380 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 200 | $46,990 | $107,500 | $171,040 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 200 | $95,870 | $149,980 | $233,890 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 180 | $72,890 | $127,470 | $171,560 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 180 | $145,330 | $231,920 | $308,680 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 150 | $90,420 | $132,650 | $176,870 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 130 | $65,970 | $92,390 | $160,560 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 120 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 120 | $78,930 | $127,490 | $166,700 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 110 | $64,670 | $123,070 | $173,020 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 100 | $58,740 | $107,650 | $167,940 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 90 | $56,870 | $75,360 | $137,390 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 90 | $98,510 | $150,550 | $199,000 |
| Columbus, OH | 80 | $51,180 | $104,430 | $129,090 |
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 1,030 | $96,050 | $177,030 | $300,330 |
| Oregon | 100 | $105,030 | $150,550 | $199,000 |
| Wisconsin | 70 | $73,650 | $137,700 | $160,640 |
| District of Columbia | Not available | $132,790 | $137,600 | $161,700 |
| Massachusetts | 890 | $96,310 | $132,600 | $168,390 |
| Minnesota | 290 | $83,500 | $132,160 | $172,500 |
| New York | 530 | $87,880 | $131,740 | $204,830 |
| Indiana | 320 | $53,660 | $130,540 | $197,910 |
| Connecticut | 50 | $72,440 | $130,320 | $201,790 |
| Washington | 290 | $76,390 | $127,250 | $209,800 |
| Utah | 110 | $67,360 | $126,840 | $175,440 |
| Illinois | 380 | $84,070 | $125,850 | $184,130 |
| Virginia | 100 | $63,820 | $124,150 | $184,840 |
| New Hampshire | 80 | $65,200 | $119,990 | $173,640 |
| Colorado | 370 | $76,820 | $117,290 | $160,770 |
| Kansas | 40 | $86,800 | $115,490 | $182,780 |
| Maryland | 270 | $69,990 | $112,400 | $165,670 |
| Ohio | 450 | $54,620 | $108,830 | $159,130 |
| Michigan | 230 | $54,240 | $107,410 | $167,940 |
| Pennsylvania | 100 | $68,850 | $106,920 | $159,170 |
| North Carolina | 490 | $65,720 | $106,470 | $161,870 |
| New Jersey | 440 | $79,450 | $103,150 | $139,550 |
| Florida | 200 | $77,270 | $102,340 | $155,070 |
| South Carolina | 80 | $70,060 | $101,930 | $137,490 |
| Nevada | 100 | $78,350 | $97,490 | $121,610 |
| Georgia | 350 | $63,820 | $91,970 | $154,600 |
| Iowa | 180 | $52,450 | $88,320 | $149,020 |
| Texas | 300 | $50,970 | $72,700 | $151,050 |
| Montana | 50 | $55,030 | $71,810 | $129,960 |
| Tennessee | 60 | $57,800 | $69,010 | $150,590 |
| Delaware | 90 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Other life, physical, and social science occupations
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
- Chemists
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
- Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other
- Biological Technicians
- School Psychologists
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Materials Scientists?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Materials Scientists is $117,790. Employment is 8,470.
How does Materials Scientists pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Materials Scientists is 131.1% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Materials Scientists?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is highest on this page's list at $231,920.