Materials Engineers
SOC 17-2131 • View wages by state
The median annual wage for Materials Engineers is $104,100, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $110,430, and an estimated 24,630 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +8.8% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of -7.5% (pay did not keep up with inflation). BLS projects employment will grow 5.7% between 2024 and 2034.
Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment
How the national median wage for Materials Engineers has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.
| Year | Median (nominal) | In 2023 $ (real) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $104,100 | $104,100 | 24,630 |
| 2022 | $100,140 | $104,262 | 21,510 |
| 2021 | $98,300 | $110,537 | 21,530 |
| 2020 | $95,640 | $112,598 | 24,740 |
Nominal change
+8.8%
Inflation (CPI)
+17.7%
Real change
-7.5%
Job Outlook (2024–2034 BLS projection)
The BLS Employment Projections program estimates how each occupation's employment will change over the coming decade, and how many job openings to expect each year (from both growth and the need to replace workers who leave).
Projected Growth
+5.7%
Faster than average
Employment 2024
23,000
Projected 2034
24,300
Annual Openings
1,500
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Highest-Paying Areas (2023)
Where Materials Engineers earn the most, and how each area's median compares to the national median of $104,100. A positive premium means the area pays above the national rate.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $129,590 | +24.5% | 40 |
| Arizona | $129,190 | +24.1% | 1,110 |
| Maryland | $128,410 | +23.4% | 910 |
| Oregon | $126,340 | +21.4% | 330 |
| Washington | $125,090 | +20.2% | 1,240 |
| California | $118,270 | +13.6% | 3,100 |
| Alaska | $113,870 | +9.4% | 50 |
| New Hampshire | $111,340 | +7% | 40 |
| Texas | $109,280 | +5% | 2,430 |
| Massachusetts | $107,260 | +3% | 620 |
Wage Distribution (National, 2023)
10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages from BLS OEWS — the full spread, not just an average.
10th Pct
$63,340
25th Pct
$80,790
Median
$104,100
75th Pct
$133,090
90th Pct
$165,580
H-1B Employer Filings
Employer-certified wages from DOL H-1B LCA filings — competitive market benchmark, not approved visas.
| Employer | State | Filings | Median Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Corporation | OR | 37 | $122,804 |
| Lam Research Corporation | CA | 12 | $147,415 |
| Applied Materials, Inc. | CA | 7 | $172,461 |
| TSMC Arizona Corporation | AZ | 6 | $118,681 |
| KLA Corporation | CA | 6 | $125,840 |
| Micron Technology, Inc. | ID | 6 | $115,000 |
| Samsung Austin Semiconductor, LLC. | TX | 6 | $135,000 |
| Apple Inc. | CA | 6 | $168,512 |
| Intel Corporation | AZ | 5 | $105,012 |
| Western Digital Technologies, Inc. | CA | 4 | $202,000 |
| GlobalFoundries U.S., Inc. | NY | 4 | $161,280 |
| Applied Materials, Inc | TX | 4 | $165,151 |
| Corning Research & Development Corporation | NY | 3 | $100,880 |
| The University of Alabama | AL | 2 | $96,720 |
| UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE | DE | 2 | $110,000 |
| Texas Instruments Incorporated | TX | 2 | $120,000 |
| Primera Analytical Solutions Corp. | NJ | 2 | $80,000 |
| Lam Research Corporation | OR | 2 | $174,473 |
| F.L. Smidth Inc. | UT | 2 | $117,718 |
| Texas Instruments Incorporated | UT | 2 | $183,000 |
Source: DOL Office of Foreign Labor Certification, H-1B LCA data.
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