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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

19-2032 Materials Scientists

Research and study the structures and chemical properties of various natural and synthetic or composite materials, including metals, alloys, rubber, ceramics, semiconductors, polymers, and glass. Determine ways to strengthen or combine materials or develop new materials with new or specific properties for use in a variety of products and applications. Includes glass scientists, ceramic scientists, metallurgical scientists, and polymer scientists.


National estimates for Materials Scientists
Industry profile for Materials Scientists
Geographic profile for Materials Scientists

National estimates for Materials Scientists:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Materials Scientists:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
6,690 5.9 % $ 50.38 $ 104,790 1.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for Materials Scientists:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 27.11 $ 37.26 $ 48.12 $ 62.69 $ 78.34
Annual Wage (2) $ 56,380 $ 77,500 $ 100,090 $ 130,400 $ 162,950


Industry profile for Materials Scientists:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Materials Scientists are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Materials Scientists, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Materials Scientists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 1,920 0.24 $ 54.33 $ 113,000
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 1,060 0.07 $ 41.46 $ 86,240
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 570 0.02 $ 40.07 $ 83,350
Management of Companies and Enterprises 350 0.01 $ 53.83 $ 111,960
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 330 0.09 $ 52.64 $ 109,490

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Materials Scientists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 1,920 0.24 $ 54.33 $ 113,000
Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing 160 0.12 $ 47.67 $ 99,160
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 330 0.09 $ 52.64 $ 109,490
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 300 0.07 $ 60.81 $ 126,480
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 1,060 0.07 $ 41.46 $ 86,240

Top paying industries for Materials Scientists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (8) (8) $ 77.75 $ 161,710
Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (8) (8) $ 66.64 $ 138,610
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing 190 0.05 $ 63.27 $ 131,600
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 50 0.05 $ 61.22 $ 127,330
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 300 0.07 $ 60.81 $ 126,480


Geographic profile for Materials Scientists:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Materials Scientists are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Materials Scientists, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of materials scientists by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Materials Scientists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York 640 0.07 1.56 $ 57.13 $ 118,820
California 600 0.04 0.77 $ 51.98 $ 108,120
Illinois 530 0.09 1.97 $ 51.60 $ 107,330
Pennsylvania 460 0.08 1.74 $ 47.26 $ 98,310
Washington 400 0.13 2.66 $ 54.82 $ 114,030


Map of location quotient of materials scientists by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Materials Scientists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Delaware 110 0.25 5.24 $ 57.43 $ 119,450
New Hampshire 130 0.21 4.36 $ 72.72 $ 151,250
Washington 400 0.13 2.66 $ 54.82 $ 114,030
Maryland 270 0.11 2.22 $ 51.42 $ 106,950
Iowa 150 0.10 2.10 $ 43.49 $ 90,470


Map of annual mean wages of materials scientists by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Materials Scientists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Hampshire 130 0.21 4.36 $ 72.72 $ 151,250
Connecticut 60 0.04 0.84 $ 67.82 $ 141,070
Colorado 90 0.04 0.74 $ 60.61 $ 126,060
Delaware 110 0.25 5.24 $ 57.43 $ 119,450
New York 640 0.07 1.56 $ 57.13 $ 118,820



Map of employment of materials scientists by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Materials Scientists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 500 0.06 1.20 $ 53.84 $ 111,980
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 470 0.11 2.33 $ 52.25 $ 108,690
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 370 0.14 2.91 $ 50.34 $ 104,720
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 230 0.09 1.87 $ 64.12 $ 133,380
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 180 0.03 0.67 $ 44.37 $ 92,290
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 160 0.09 1.81 $ 55.12 $ 114,650
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 150 0.05 1.08 $ 46.81 $ 97,370
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 150 0.35 7.31 $ 62.32 $ 129,630
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 140 0.06 1.27 $ 56.20 $ 116,900
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 110 0.10 2.20 $ 65.14 $ 135,480


Map of location quotient of materials scientists by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Materials Scientists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
College Station-Bryan, TX 80 0.69 14.49 $ 13.89 $ 28,880
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 150 0.35 7.31 $ 62.32 $ 129,630
Ogden-Clearfield, UT 70 0.28 5.80 $ 62.70 $ 130,410
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 80 0.24 5.11 (8) (8)
Rochester, NY 110 0.23 4.85 (8) (8)
Raleigh, NC 100 0.16 3.44 $ 38.02 $ 79,090
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 370 0.14 2.91 $ 50.34 $ 104,720
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA 30 0.13 2.81 $ 46.07 $ 95,830
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 470 0.11 2.33 $ 52.25 $ 108,690
Dayton, OH 40 0.11 2.27 $ 44.66 $ 92,900


Map of annual mean wages of materials scientists by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Materials Scientists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 60 0.04 0.95 $ 68.47 $ 142,410
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 110 0.10 2.20 $ 65.14 $ 135,480
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 230 0.09 1.87 $ 64.12 $ 133,380
Ogden-Clearfield, UT 70 0.28 5.80 $ 62.70 $ 130,410
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 150 0.35 7.31 $ 62.32 $ 129,630
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 30 0.01 0.23 $ 56.36 $ 117,220
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 140 0.06 1.27 $ 56.20 $ 116,900
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 160 0.09 1.81 $ 55.12 $ 114,650
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 500 0.06 1.20 $ 53.84 $ 111,980
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 70 0.05 1.06 $ 53.00 $ 110,250


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022