Materials Engineers Salary
The median pay for a materials engineers in Alabama is $107,580/year ($51.72/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $169K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $121,752 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 16% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $108K get you in Alabama?
About materials engineers
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What this looks like in Alabama
Materials engineers pay in Alabama tracks closely to the national median, $108K locally vs. $113K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,085/month, 16.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $108K. Top earners bring in $169K or more, a $99K spread from bottom to top.
Materials Engineers salary by metro in Alabama
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur | $134K | +25% | 50 |
| Huntsville | $121K | +12% | 280 |
| Mobile | $105K | -3% | 80 |
| Birmingham | $100K | -7% | 120 |
Compare to other states
Track materials engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a materials engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $108K, rent takes 16.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials engineers in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials engineers typically earn — is $69K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,156/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is materials engineer a high-paying job in Alabama?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $108K locally vs. $113K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for materials engineers?
Alabama pays $108K median vs. the U.S. average of $113K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $122K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do materials engineers make in Alabama?
The median is $107,580 a year, that works out to about $52 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,260, and experienced materials engineers can clear $168,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $108K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,571/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 16.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a materials engineers salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median materials engineers salary is worth about $121,752 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do materials engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.