Senior Materials Scientist salary in Philadelphia, PA
Based on 16 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $110,074 |
| 25th | $110,094 |
| 50th (median) | $111,925 |
| 75th | $118,102 |
| 90th | $130,000 |
Cost of living
Philadelphia's median senior Materials Scientist salary of $111,925 is worth about $109,100 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 $111,925, 12% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| The Dow Chemical Company | too few | 6 |
| Axalta Coating Systems | too few | 2 |
| DuPont Specialty Products | too few | 2 |
| Rohm and Haas Chemicals | 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.