Materials Engineer salary
From 3,347 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 17-2131: Materials Engineers
At a glance
- Mostly Level III (senior). 45% of Materials Engineer filings are Level III, compared with 21% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: Intel. 1,221 filings (36% of the total), median $124,090.
- Pay depends on the city. Among the 6 metro areas with the most filings, the median ranges from $92,136 in Albuquerque, NM to $155,251 in San Jose, CA.
- Median up 33% since FY2020. From $93,500 in FY2020 to $124,090 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Materials Engineer H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 3,347 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Materials Engineer jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 17-2131, Materials Engineers). The median base salary is $120,765, 2% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $95,701 and $133,432. The most common wage level is Level III (senior), at 45% of filings. Portland, OR has the most filings (1,001), and Intel is the employer that files the most (1,221).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Materials Engineer
Intel1,221 filings · 36%$124,090
Lam Research190 filings · 6%$138,258
Micron124 filings · 4%$122,774
Applied Materials108 filings · 3%$149,629
Asm America95 filings · 3%$124,051
Apple92 filings · 3%$148,331
TSMC Arizona86 filings · 3%$106,033
Western Digital Technologies48 filings · 1%$153,600
Headway Technologies37 filings · 1%$161,006
Kla35 filings · 1%$131,706
Employers with the most Materials Engineer filings. Bar: share of all Materials Engineer filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 13% of filings
Mid-level · 27% of filings
Senior · 45% of filings
Expert · 15% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $86,278 | 361 |
| Level II · Qualified | $109,117 | 767 |
| Level III · Experienced | $130,291 | 1,256 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $154,128 | 437 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Materials Engineer pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 34 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Portland, OR | $130,291 | 1,001 |
| San Jose, CA | $155,251 | 359 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $120,385 | 340 |
| San Francisco, CA | $138,258 | 234 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $92,136 | 152 |
| Boise, ID | $120,910 | 134 |
| Austin, TX | $125,000 | 71 |
| Boston, MA | $120,000 | 50 |
| Atlanta, GA | $86,514 | 46 |
| Chicago, IL | $95,000 | 43 |
| Detroit, MI | $110,000 | 41 |
| Albany, NY | $109,341 | 39 |
| New York, NY | $92,378 | 33 |
| Houston, TX | $120,162 | 31 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $124,077 | 31 |
| Dallas, TX | $111,664 | 30 |
| San Diego, CA | $139,500 | 30 |
| Seattle, WA | $127,317 | 25 |
| Port Lavaca, TX | $104,853 | 23 |
| Corning, NY | $107,635 | 21 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $124,029 | 20 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $88,783 | 20 |
| Toledo, OH | $105,602 | 16 |
| Worcester, MA | $110,000 | 15 |
| Columbus, OH | $97,147 | 14 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $91,750 | 14 |
| Reno, NV | $100,000 | 13 |
| Salt Lake, UT | $99,450 | 13 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $106,216 | 10 |
| Blytheville, AR | $105,237 | 10 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $95,000 | 10 |
| Columbus, IN | $99,819 | 10 |
| Denver, CO | $87,840 | 10 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $106,680 | 10 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Materials Engineer does
Evaluate materials and develop machinery and processes to manufacture materials for use in products that must meet specialized design and performance specifications. Develop new uses for known materials. Includes those engineers working with composite materials or specializing in one type of material, such as graphite, metal and metal alloys, ceramics and glass, plastics and polymers, and naturally occurring materials. Includes metallurgists and metallurgical engineers, ceramic engineers, and welding engineers.
Typical tasks
- Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality.
- Review new product plans, and make recommendations for material selection, based on design objectives such as strength, weight, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and cost.
- Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.
- Solve problems in a number of engineering fields, such as mechanical, chemical, electrical, civil, nuclear, and aerospace.
- Plan and implement laboratory operations to develop material and fabrication procedures that meet cost, product specification, and performance standards.
- Analyze product failure data and laboratory test results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions.
Preparation
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
O*NET occupation: Materials Engineers (17-2131.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Materials Engineers), the median annual wage was $112,860 in May 2025, with 22,770 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $120,765, 7% higher.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $90,000 | $72,300 |
| 25th percentile | $95,701 | $88,080 |
| Median | $120,765 | $112,860 |
| 75th percentile | $133,432 | $142,720 |
| 90th percentile | $155,251 | $175,720 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $90,000 |
| 25th | $95,701 |
| 50th (median) | $120,765 |
| 75th | $133,432 |
| 90th | $155,251 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $93,500 | $79,012 | $115,000 | 1,063 |
| FY2021 | $94,536 | $86,611 | $117,000 | 1,491 |
| FY2022 | $98,925 | $92,012 | $118,302 | 1,732 |
| FY2023 | $112,466 | $92,082 | $115,482 | 1,579 |
| FY2024 | $115,140 | $93,071 | $120,640 | 1,755 |
| FY2025 | $115,000 | $91,711 | $130,291 | 1,948 |
| FY2026 | $124,090 | $104,000 | $138,258 | 1,399 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Materials Engineer make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Materials Engineer jobs is $120,765 (3,347 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $95,701 and $133,432.
What does an entry-level Materials Engineer earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $86,278. Level I accounts for 13% of Materials Engineer filings.
Which city pays H-1B Materials Engineers the most?
Among metro areas with at least 100 filings, San Jose, CA has the highest median base salary for Materials Engineer jobs: $155,251 (359 filings).
Which employers file the most H-1B applications for Materials Engineers?
Intel (1,221), Lam Research (190) and Micron (124) filed the most Materials Engineer LCAs in FY2025–FY2026.
Do H-1B Materials Engineers earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($120,765) is 7% higher than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($112,860, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.