Materials Scientist salary in Knoxville, TN

Based on 76 certified H-1B filings in the Knoxville, TN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Oak Ridge.

Also listed as: Research Associate Materials Science

Median salary$87,703

Middle 50%$84.3k–$121.9k

vs. national median−6%comparison median $93,746

Filings76FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

National median

$70k$80k$90k$100k$110k$120k$130k$140k$150k

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $57,938 and $205,326.

Median salary

Filings per year

Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.

Show as table

Fiscal year	Median	P25	P75	Filings
FY2020	$74,241	$72,144	$99,978	38
FY2021	$74,448	$72,737	$104,400	45
FY2022	$76,587	$73,558	$104,265	42
FY2023	$77,700	$76,800	$111,600	41
FY2024	$98,263	$81,362	$123,824	49
FY2025	$87,396	$84,336	$119,508	45
FY2026	$89,865	$86,818	$124,584	31

Knoxville's median Materials Scientist salary of $87,703 is worth about $94,700 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Knoxville = 92.6).

Employer	Median	Filings
Ut-Battelle, Llc (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)	$87,703	65
The University Of Tennessee	$84,566	10

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Wage level	Prevailing wage (most common)	Median offered salary	Filings
Entry-level · Level I	$51,750	$84,048	10
Mid-level · Level II	$70,803	$87,419	46
Senior · Level III	$83,366	$124,584	14

The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.