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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

17-2131 Materials Engineers

Evaluate materials and develop machinery and processes to manufacture materials for use in products that must meet specialized design and performance specifications. Develop new uses for known materials. Includes those engineers working with composite materials or specializing in one type of material, such as graphite, metal and metal alloys, ceramics and glass, plastics and polymers, and naturally occurring materials. Includes metallurgists and metallurgical engineers, ceramic engineers, and welding engineers.


National estimates for Materials Engineers
Industry profile for Materials Engineers
Geographic profile for Materials Engineers

National estimates for Materials Engineers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Materials Engineers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
21,510 2.2 % $ 50.69 $ 105,420 1.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Materials Engineers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 29.18 $ 37.78 $ 48.15 $ 62.63 $ 78.03
Annual Wage (2) $ 60,700 $ 78,580 $ 100,140 $ 130,260 $ 162,300


Industry profile for Materials Engineers:

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Materials Engineers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 3,000 0.19 $ 46.73 $ 97,200
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 2,190 0.46 $ 60.62 $ 126,090
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 1,390 0.07 $ 61.58 $ 128,080
Scientific Research and Development Services 1,290 0.15 $ 57.67 $ 119,950
Management of Companies and Enterprises 960 0.04 $ 51.91 $ 107,960

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Materials Engineers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing 520 0.65 $ 47.56 $ 98,920
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil 70 0.61 $ 81.03 $ 168,550
Metal Ore Mining 230 0.54 $ 46.39 $ 96,490
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 2,190 0.46 $ 60.62 $ 126,090
Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing 190 0.32 $ 47.93 $ 99,680

Top paying industries for Materials Engineers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil 70 0.61 $ 81.03 $ 168,550
Natural Gas Distribution 30 0.03 $ 66.36 $ 138,020
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 110 0.10 $ 61.78 $ 128,500
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 1,390 0.07 $ 61.58 $ 128,080
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 2,190 0.46 $ 60.62 $ 126,090


Geographic profile for Materials Engineers:

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



Map of employment of materials engineers by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Materials Engineers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 2,860 0.16 1.12 $ 54.64 $ 113,660
Texas 2,500 0.19 1.32 $ 55.45 $ 115,330
Ohio 1,500 0.28 1.92 $ 47.10 $ 97,970
Pennsylvania 1,040 0.18 1.23 $ 45.45 $ 94,540
Washington 890 0.26 1.80 $ 63.22 $ 131,490


Map of location quotient of materials engineers by state, May 2022


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

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alabama 670 0.34 2.31 $ 49.85 $ 103,680
Maryland 740 0.28 1.94 $ 58.43 $ 121,530
Ohio 1,500 0.28 1.92 $ 47.10 $ 97,970
South Carolina 590 0.28 1.89 $ 43.09 $ 89,620
Delaware 120 0.27 1.85 $ 53.68 $ 111,650


Map of annual mean wages of materials engineers by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Materials Engineers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington 890 0.26 1.80 $ 63.22 $ 131,490
Maryland 740 0.28 1.94 $ 58.43 $ 121,530
Massachusetts 260 0.07 0.50 $ 57.30 $ 119,190
Oregon 330 0.17 1.20 $ 56.22 $ 116,940
Texas 2,500 0.19 1.32 $ 55.45 $ 115,330



Map of employment of materials engineers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Materials Engineers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,170 0.31 2.12 $ 55.59 $ 115,620
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 960 0.16 1.08 $ 52.12 $ 108,400
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 760 0.37 2.57 $ 66.15 $ 137,590
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 510 0.45 3.12 $ 65.84 $ 136,950
Austin-Round Rock, TX 500 0.42 2.90 $ 52.94 $ 110,110
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 490 0.16 1.11 $ 64.72 $ 134,610
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 460 0.17 1.15 $ 53.68 $ 111,650
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 460 0.15 1.03 $ 65.67 $ 136,600
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 440 0.18 1.25 $ 57.23 $ 119,040
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 440 0.16 1.10 $ 35.73 $ 74,310


Map of location quotient of materials engineers by area, May 2022


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

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California-Lexington Park, MD 80 1.78 12.21 $ 56.92 $ 118,400
Huntsville, AL 300 1.28 8.77 $ 56.59 $ 117,710
Decatur, AL 60 1.13 7.75 $ 48.68 $ 101,260
Dayton, OH 280 0.76 5.22 $ 57.63 $ 119,870
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA 60 0.74 5.06 $ 45.51 $ 94,660
Owensboro, KY 30 0.66 4.52 $ 47.02 $ 97,810
Boulder, CO 110 0.57 3.90 $ 65.47 $ 136,180
Mobile, AL 90 0.56 3.82 $ 44.05 $ 91,610
Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC 220 0.54 3.73 $ 39.96 $ 83,120
Wichita, KS 160 0.54 3.72 (8) (8)


Map of annual mean wages of materials engineers by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Materials Engineers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 760 0.37 2.57 $ 66.15 $ 137,590
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 510 0.45 3.12 $ 65.84 $ 136,950
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 460 0.15 1.03 $ 65.67 $ 136,600
Boulder, CO 110 0.57 3.90 $ 65.47 $ 136,180
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 490 0.16 1.11 $ 64.72 $ 134,610
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 80 0.19 1.33 $ 64.27 $ 133,680
Kennewick-Richland, WA 40 0.31 2.11 $ 62.25 $ 129,470
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 210 0.08 0.54 $ 60.21 $ 125,250
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 270 0.23 1.59 $ 58.09 $ 120,820
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 30 0.22 1.55 $ 57.78 $ 120,170

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Materials Engineers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 170 0.69 4.71 $ 45.66 $ 94,970
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 90 0.44 3.05 $ 37.61 $ 78,220
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 80 0.25 1.74 $ 38.66 $ 80,420
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 70 0.72 4.95 $ 45.97 $ 95,610
Arizona nonmetropolitan area 70 0.73 5.02 $ 46.45 $ 96,610

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Materials Engineers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Arizona nonmetropolitan area 70 0.73 5.02 $ 46.45 $ 96,610
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 70 0.72 4.95 $ 45.97 $ 95,610
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 170 0.69 4.71 $ 45.66 $ 94,970
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 50 0.49 3.36 $ 49.00 $ 101,920
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 90 0.44 3.05 $ 37.61 $ 78,220

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Materials Engineers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 60 0.38 2.61 $ 58.99 $ 122,700
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 50 0.49 3.36 $ 49.00 $ 101,920
Arizona nonmetropolitan area 70 0.73 5.02 $ 46.45 $ 96,610
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 70 0.72 4.95 $ 45.97 $ 95,610
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 170 0.69 4.71 $ 45.66 $ 94,970


About May 2022 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 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023