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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

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)
24,630 1.8 % $ 53.09 $ 110,430 0.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for Materials Engineers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 30.45 $ 38.84 $ 50.05 $ 63.99 $ 79.60
Annual Wage (2) $ 63,340 $ 80,790 $ 104,100 $ 133,090 $ 165,580


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 3,340 0.20 $ 46.50 $ 96,720
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing 2,830 0.72 $ 59.85 $ 124,490
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 2,670 0.52 $ 62.60 $ 130,210
Scientific Research and Development Services 2,130 0.23 $ 54.47 $ 113,290
Management of Companies and Enterprises 1,670 0.06 $ 58.09 $ 120,820

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Materials Engineers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing 490 0.80 $ 40.20 $ 83,620
Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing 620 0.74 $ 47.99 $ 99,810
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing 2,830 0.72 $ 59.85 $ 124,490
Metal Ore Mining 250 0.58 $ 49.10 $ 102,130
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 2,670 0.52 $ 62.60 $ 130,210

Top paying industries for Materials Engineers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 80 0.08 $ 68.65 $ 142,780
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 190 0.01 $ 65.53 $ 136,310
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) 1,350 0.06 $ 64.85 $ 134,890
Natural Gas Distribution 40 0.03 $ 63.75 $ 132,600
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 2,670 0.52 $ 62.60 $ 130,210


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 2023


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 3,100 0.17 1.06 $ 59.19 $ 123,110
Texas 2,430 0.18 1.10 $ 58.37 $ 121,420
Ohio 2,280 0.42 2.57 $ 51.57 $ 107,260
Washington 1,240 0.35 2.19 $ 60.32 $ 125,470
Arizona 1,110 0.35 2.18 $ 58.46 $ 121,610


Map of location quotient of materials engineers by state, May 2023


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)
Ohio 2,280 0.42 2.57 $ 51.57 $ 107,260
Washington 1,240 0.35 2.19 $ 60.32 $ 125,470
Arizona 1,110 0.35 2.18 $ 58.46 $ 121,610
Maryland 910 0.34 2.09 $ 62.38 $ 129,750
Alabama 610 0.30 1.83 $ 51.43 $ 106,980


Map of annual mean wages of materials engineers by state, May 2023


Top paying states for Materials Engineers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Maryland 910 0.34 2.09 $ 62.38 $ 129,750
Washington 1,240 0.35 2.19 $ 60.32 $ 125,470
Rhode Island 40 0.09 0.53 $ 60.13 $ 125,070
Oregon 330 0.17 1.05 $ 60.06 $ 124,930
California 3,100 0.17 1.06 $ 59.19 $ 123,110



Map of employment of materials engineers by area, May 2023


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)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,200 0.19 1.20 $ 55.26 $ 114,950
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 1,130 0.54 3.34 $ 61.34 $ 127,590
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,120 0.28 1.74 $ 59.42 $ 123,590
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 960 0.42 2.59 $ 59.72 $ 124,210
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 660 0.21 1.31 $ 66.92 $ 139,190
Austin-Round Rock, TX 590 0.48 2.94 $ 54.83 $ 114,050
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 540 0.47 2.92 $ 69.67 $ 144,910
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 530 0.19 1.17 $ 46.05 $ 95,770
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 510 0.21 1.31 $ 66.01 $ 137,300
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 510 0.27 1.67 $ 48.75 $ 101,400


Map of location quotient of materials engineers by area, May 2023


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 90 1.86 11.47 $ 60.61 $ 126,080
Huntsville, AL 290 1.15 7.09 $ 57.32 $ 119,220
Toledo, OH 310 1.07 6.57 $ 50.86 $ 105,780
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA 70 0.80 4.92 $ 47.60 $ 99,020
Dayton, OH 290 0.78 4.79 $ 57.19 $ 118,960
Albany, OR 30 0.73 4.50 $ 47.37 $ 98,530
Lexington-Fayette, KY 170 0.60 3.71 $ 50.72 $ 105,500
Ogden-Clearfield, UT 170 0.58 3.59 $ 46.30 $ 96,300
Akron, OH 180 0.55 3.37 $ 47.77 $ 99,350
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 1,130 0.54 3.34 $ 61.34 $ 127,590


Map of annual mean wages of materials engineers by area, May 2023


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)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 540 0.47 2.92 $ 69.67 $ 144,910
Boulder, CO 100 0.53 3.29 $ 67.71 $ 140,840
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 400 0.13 0.77 $ 67.68 $ 140,770
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 660 0.21 1.31 $ 66.92 $ 139,190
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 510 0.21 1.31 $ 66.01 $ 137,300
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 90 0.23 1.40 $ 62.89 $ 130,820
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 260 0.22 1.35 $ 62.73 $ 130,470
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 250 0.19 1.16 $ 61.76 $ 128,460
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 1,130 0.54 3.34 $ 61.34 $ 127,590
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 40 0.18 1.10 $ 60.91 $ 126,700

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 140 0.58 3.56 $ 43.78 $ 91,060
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 80 0.79 4.87 $ 51.08 $ 106,250
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 80 0.37 2.30 $ 38.21 $ 79,470
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 80 0.23 1.43 $ 38.95 $ 81,010
Arizona nonmetropolitan area 70 0.78 4.83 $ 47.37 $ 98,530

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)
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 80 0.79 4.87 $ 51.08 $ 106,250
Arizona nonmetropolitan area 70 0.78 4.83 $ 47.37 $ 98,530
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 140 0.58 3.56 $ 43.78 $ 91,060
East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 30 0.51 3.16 $ 46.92 $ 97,600
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 80 0.37 2.30 $ 38.21 $ 79,470

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)
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 80 0.79 4.87 $ 51.08 $ 106,250
Arizona nonmetropolitan area 70 0.78 4.83 $ 47.37 $ 98,530
East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 30 0.51 3.16 $ 46.92 $ 97,600
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 30 0.17 1.04 $ 45.42 $ 94,460
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 40 0.15 0.94 $ 44.50 $ 92,560


About May 2023 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.

(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 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024