The average salary for a materials scientist in California is around $177,030 per year.
Avg Salary
Materials scientists earn an average yearly salary of $177,030.
Wages typically start from $96,050 and go up to $300,330.
134% above national average Updated in 2025
Materials scientist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level materials scientist earnings begin at:
$144.39 per hour
$300,330 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level materials scientist earnings begin at:
$112.45 per hour
$233,890 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level materials scientist earnings begin at:
$85.11 per hour
$177,030 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level materials scientist earnings begin at:
$63.01 per hour
$131,060 per year
10th percentile
Starting level materials scientist earnings begin at:
$46.18 per hour
$96,050 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 18% more than similar careers in California. On average, they make less than physicists but more than nanotechnology engineers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Physicist salary | $207K |
| Materials scientist salary | $177K |
| Biochemist salary | $140K |
| Statistician salary | $136K |
| Biostatistician salary | $136K |
| Nanotechnology engineer salary | $131K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)