Materials Research Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Materials Research Engineer make in the United States?

As of May 18, 2021, the average salary for a Materials Research Engineer in the United States is $96,571 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $46.

However, a Materials Research Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $105,543
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $88,476 to $101,267
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $81,106
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View as table View as graph 25% $88,476 10% $81,106 90% $105,543 75% $101,267 $96,571 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Materials Research Engineer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $101,267 $8,439 $1,947 $49
Average $96,571 $8,048 $1,857 $46
25th Percentile $88,476 $7,373 $1,701 $43
Check out Materials Research Engineer Job Openings in the United States
PUBLIC NOTICE DIRECT HIRE

Department Of Health And Human Services - Cincinnati, OH

Materials Informatics Research Scientist

Riverside Research - Dayton, OH

MATERIALS INFORMATICS RESEARCH SCIENTIST

Riverside Research - Dayton, OH

SENIOR RESEARCH SYSTEMS ENGINEER

Apex Systems - Columbus, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Materials Research Engineer Salaries

A Materials Research Engineer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Materials Research Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Materials Research Engineer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $65,314
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $74,477
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $97,662
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $123,675
  • Expert (over 8 years): $143,120
Levels Salary
Insurance... Level Materials Research Engineer$65,314
Insurance... Level Materials Research Engineer$74,477
Materials... Level Materials Research Engineer$97,662
Insurance... Level Materials Research Engineer$123,675
Insurance... Level Materials Research Engineer$143,120
$65,314 0 yr
$74,477 < 2 yrs
$97,662 2-4 yrs
$123,675 5-8 yrs
$143,120 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Materials Research Engineer Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Materials Research Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $106,924.
  • California: $106,518.
  • Massachusetts: $105,098.

Top Paying Cities for Materials Research Engineers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $121,805
  • San Francisco: $120,608
  • Oakland: $117,933

What Skills Can Increase a Materials Research Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Risk Management (Mentioned in 19.8% Job Postings): Risk management is the identification, evaluation, and prioritization of risks (defined in ISO 31000 as the effect of uncertainty on objectives) followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability or impact of unfortunate events or to maximize the realization of opportunities. Risks can come from various sources including uncertainty in financial markets, threats from project failures (at any phase in design, development, production, or sustainment life-cycles), legal liabilities, credit risk, accidents, natural causes and disasters, deliberate attack from an adversary, or events of uncertain or unpredictable root-cause. There are two types of events i.e. negative events can be classified as risks while positive events are classified as opportunities. Several risk management standards have been developed including the Project Management Institute, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, actuarial societies, and ISO standards. Methods, definitions and goals vary widely according to whether the risk management method is in the context of project management, security, engineering, industrial processes, financial portfolios, actuarial assessments, or public health and safety.
  • Underwriting (Mentioned in 2.97% Job Postings): Underwriting services are provided by some large financial institutions, such as banks, or insurance or investment houses, whereby they guarantee payment in case of damage or financial loss and accept the financial risk for liability arising from such guarantee. An underwriting arrangement may be created in a number of situations including insurance, issue of securities in a public offering, and bank lending, among others. The person or institution that agrees to sell a minimum number of securities of the company for commission is called the underwriter. The name derives from the Lloyd's of London insurance market. Financial bankers, who would accept some of the risk on a given venture (historically a sea voyage with associated risks of shipwreck) in exchange for a premium, would literally write their names under the risk information that was written on a Lloyd's slip created for this purpose.
  • Support Services (Mentioned in 1.98% Job Postings): Support Services means those activities provided to or on behalf of a person in the areas of personal care and assistance and property maintenance in order to allow a person to live in the least restrictive environment.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Risk Management 19.8%
Underwriting 2.97%
Support Services 1.98%

Materials Research Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Materials Research Engineer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on May 18, 2021
$88,476
Average $96,571/year
$101,267
$7,373
Average $8,048/month
$8,439
$1,701
Average $1,857/week
$1,947
$43
Average $46/hour
$49
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $101,267 $8,439 $1,947 $49
Average $96,571 $8,048 $1,857 $46
25th Percentile $88,476 $7,373 $1,701 $43

Salaries of jobs related to Materials Research Engineer

Salary Trends for Materials Research Engineer

Salaries for a Materials Research Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $97,513 in 2023 to around $97,231 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Materials Research Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Materials Research Engineer Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$97,513
2024
$97,665
2025
$97,231
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $97,513
2024 $97,665
2025 $97,231
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Materials Research Engineer

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Time Off (days)
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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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