Highest-paying cities for materials engineers
San Jose, CA leads at $156,730 a year. Pay is not adjusted for local prices; see each page for the cost-of-living view.
| Place | Median | 25th–75th |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $156,730 | $130,770–$180,130 |
| Seattle, WA | $156,130 | $128,710–$178,710 |
| Boulder, CO | $151,940 | $110,490–$166,230 |
| New York, NY | $147,490 | $104,820–$162,770 |
| Baltimore, MD | $144,010 | $101,070–$162,260 |
| Washington, DC | $140,640 | $113,780–$180,480 |
| Dayton, OH | $137,290 | $105,590–$162,430 |
| Albany, NY | $134,630 | $106,440–$161,820 |
| Decatur, AL | $134,370 | $98,630–$165,530 |
| Charleston, SC | $131,080 | $109,290–$131,080 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $130,440 | $108,520–$168,120 |
| Sacramento, CA | $130,040 | $109,260–$137,540 |
| San Francisco, CA | $129,480 | $97,560–$160,540 |
| Portland, OR | $128,250 | $96,900–$158,530 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $127,740 | $95,640–$160,320 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $127,230 | $85,560–$127,240 |
| Denver, CO | $125,750 | $82,100–$164,630 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $125,200 | $102,770–$146,980 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $125,190 | $94,670–$159,750 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $124,990 | $101,190–$142,180 |
| San Diego, CA | $124,180 | $93,200–$135,590 |
| Palm Bay, FL | $123,720 | $96,080–$143,640 |
| Houston, TX | $123,250 | $87,100–$172,240 |
| Oxnard, CA | $122,450 | $110,190–$128,500 |
| Columbia, SC | $121,290 | $78,990–$176,740 |
| Huntsville, AL | $120,720 | $100,640–$151,300 |
| Dallas, TX | $117,700 | $100,310–$161,940 |
| Durham, NC | $117,000 | $102,230–$131,120 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $116,720 | $83,840–$139,010 |
| Allentown, PA | $116,510 | $89,440–$129,090 |
| St. Louis, MO | $114,670 | $83,430–$130,900 |
| Worcester, MA | $114,100 | $100,280–$127,400 |
| Boston, MA | $111,480 | $95,130–$149,210 |
| Madison, WI | $111,050 | $105,370–$141,500 |
| Tulsa, OK | $110,690 | $90,820–$129,910 |
| Toledo, OH | $110,620 | $87,070–$132,040 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $110,350 | $103,670–$148,180 |
| Riverside, CA | $109,100 | $82,860–$124,660 |
| Hartford, CT | $108,840 | $97,710–$133,510 |
| Greenville, SC | $106,580 | $91,140–$133,160 |
| Buffalo, NY | $106,450 | $88,380–$138,520 |
| Cleveland, OH | $106,340 | $84,000–$143,020 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $105,950 | $79,360–$127,220 |
| Youngstown, OH | $105,400 | $85,940–$129,380 |
| Charlotte, NC | $104,910 | $93,140–$135,190 |
| Mobile, AL | $104,610 | $76,760–$123,690 |
| Columbus, OH | $104,370 | $84,550–$137,300 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $104,360 | $88,610–$127,810 |
| Trenton, NJ | $103,660 | $93,360–$110,990 |
| Omaha, NE | $103,410 | $80,780–$117,060 |
Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025.