Materials Scientist salary in Philadelphia, PA
Based on 36 certified H-1B filings in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Newark, Wilmington, Collegeville, Swedesboro, Ambler.
Also listed as: Research Associate Materials Science
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $68,585 |
| 25th | $87,057 |
| 50th (median) | $110,074 |
| 75th | $114,663 |
| 90th | $133,328 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $91,440 | $76,250 | $114,700 | 22 |
| FY2021 | $89,000 | $77,026 | $105,000 | 14 |
| FY2022 | $76,045 | $66,444 | $87,500 | 10 |
| FY2023 | $68,500 | $60,976 | $82,000 | 12 |
| FY2024 | $88,189 | $81,206 | $112,125 | 19 |
| FY2025 | $110,074 | $87,057 | $114,663 | 20 |
| FY2026 | $103,463 | $86,002 | $117,491 | 16 |
Cost of living
Philadelphia's median Materials Scientist salary of $110,074 is worth about $107,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Philadelphia = 102.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Materials Scientists in the Philadelphia, PA area earned a median of $127,470 in May 2025 (180 employed). The H-1B median here is $110,074, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| The Dow Chemical Company | too few | 6 |
| University Of Delaware | too few | 5 |
| Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania | too few | 4 |
| Axalta Coating Systems | too few | 3 |
| Mapei | too few | 3 |
| American Air Liquide | too few | 2 |
| DuPont Electronic Materials CMP | too few | 2 |
| DuPont Specialty Products | too few | 2 |
| Rohm and Haas Chemicals | too few | 2 |
| Solenis | 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 | too few | 8 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 5 |
| Senior · Level III | $111,925 | 16 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior · Level III | $110,074 | $111,925 | 16 |
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.