The average salary for a materials scientist in the United States is around $117,790 per year.
Avg Salary
Materials scientists earn an average yearly salary of $117,790.
Wages typically start from $66,820 and go up to $197,290.
80% above national average Updated in 2025
Materials scientist earnings by seniority
Top-level materials scientist earnings begin at:
$94.85 per hour
$197,290 per year
Senior-level materials scientist earnings begin at:
$72.38 per hour
$150,550 per year
Mid-level materials scientist earnings begin at:
$56.63 per hour
$117,790 per year
Junior-level materials scientist earnings begin at:
$43.26 per hour
$89,990 per year
Starting level materials scientist earnings begin at:
$32.13 per hour
$66,820 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Materials scientist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Nevada | $97,490 |
| West Virginia | $97,110 |
| Georgia | $91,970 |
| Iowa | $88,320 |
| Arizona | $87,510 |
| Missouri | $86,610 |
| Kentucky | $74,440 |
| Texas | $72,700 |
| Montana | $71,810 |
| Tennessee | $69,010 |
| Maine | $68,060 |
| Delaware | $66,960 |
| Alabama | $57,960 |
| California | $177,030 |
| Oregon | $150,550 |
| Wisconsin | $137,700 |
| District of Columbia | $137,600 |
| New Mexico | $137,240 |
| Massachusetts | $132,600 |
| Minnesota | $132,160 |
| New York | $131,740 |
| Indiana | $130,540 |
| Connecticut | $130,320 |
| Washington | $127,250 |
| Utah | $126,840 |
| Illinois | $125,850 |
| Virginia | $124,150 |
| New Hampshire | $119,990 |
| Colorado | $117,290 |
| Kansas | $115,490 |
| Louisiana | $113,540 |
| Maryland | $112,400 |
| Ohio | $108,830 |
| Michigan | $107,410 |
| Pennsylvania | $106,920 |
| North Carolina | $106,470 |
| New Jersey | $103,150 |
| Florida | $102,340 |
| South Carolina | $101,930 |
How do materials scientist salaries compare to similar careers?
Materials scientists earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than physicists but more than biostatisticians.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Physicist salary | $172K |
| Astronomer salary | $129K |
| Biochemist salary | $127K |
| Mathematician salary | $127K |
| Materials scientist salary | $118K |
| Nanotechnology engineer salary | $123K |
| Geologist salary | $102K |
| Statistician salary | $106K |
| Biostatistician salary | $106K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)