Materials Scientist salary in Los Angeles, CA
Based on 19 certified H-1B filings in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Irvine, Pasadena, El Segundo, Huntington Beach, Lake Forest.
Also listed as: Research Associate Materials Science
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $68,923 |
| 25th | $79,715 |
| 50th (median) | $129,563 |
| 75th | $156,717 |
| 90th | $178,760 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $78,333 | $70,000 | $90,427 | 35 |
| FY2021 | $65,428 | $59,036 | $96,000 | 18 |
| FY2022 | $75,000 | $64,000 | $110,115 | 29 |
| FY2023 | $76,369 | $65,442 | $100,225 | 14 |
| FY2024 | $85,000 | $73,000 | $101,920 | 17 |
| FY2025 | $122,282 | $73,298 | $135,200 | 10 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 9 |
Cost of living
Los Angeles's median Materials Scientist salary of $129,563 is worth about $114,100 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Los Angeles = 113.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Materials Scientists in the Los Angeles, CA area earned a median of $149,980 in May 2025 (200 employed). The H-1B median here is $129,563, 14% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| California Institute of Technology | too few | 3 |
| James R. Glidewell Dental Ceramics | too few | 3 |
| University of California, Los Angeles | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | – | 0 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 3 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.