Materials Scientist salary in State College, PA

Based on 10 certified H-1B filings in the State College, PA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes University Park.

Also listed as: Research Associate Materials Science

Median salary$65,856
Middle 50%$62.1k–$76.4k
vs. national median−30%comparison median $93,746
Filings10FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $61,087 and $90,959.
PercentileSalary
10th$61,796
25th$62,124
50th (median)$65,856
75th$76,431
90th$88,354

Salary by year

Median salary

$40k $55k $70k FY2020: median $55,000 (13 filings) FY2021: median $54,222 (10 filings) FY2023: median $65,040 (15 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 13 filings FY20 FY2021: 10 filings FY21 FY2022: 7 filings FY22 FY2023: 15 filings FY23 FY2024: 8 filings FY24 FY2025: 7 filings FY25 FY2026: 3 filings FY26 15
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 yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$55,000$51,588$56,12413
FY2021$54,222$50,949$58,30710
FY2022–––7
FY2023$65,040$59,286$81,18615
FY2024–––8
FY2025–––7
FY2026–––3

Cost of living

State College's median Materials Scientist salary of $65,856 is worth about $68,100 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; State College = 96.8).

Top employers filing

EmployerMedianFilings
The Pennsylvania State University$65,85610

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I too few 7
Mid-level · Level II too few 2
Senior · Level III – 0
Expert · Level IV – 0

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.