Materials Engineers Salary
The median pay for a materials engineers in Arkansas is $103,900/year ($49.95/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $159K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.64), which stretches that salary to about $118,553 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,021/month, or 15.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Arkansas. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $104K get you in Arkansas?
About materials engineers
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What this looks like in Arkansas
Materials engineers pay in Arkansas tracks closely to the national median, $104K locally vs. $113K nationwide, a 8% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,021/month, 15.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.64 (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, Arkansas
Entry-level materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $104K. Top earners bring in $159K or more, a $79K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track materials engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arkansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a materials engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arkansas?
Yes — at the median salary of $104K, rent takes 15.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,021/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials engineers in Arkansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials engineers typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,807/month. At HUD’s $1,021/month FMR, rent would take 21% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is materials engineer a high-paying job in Arkansas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $104K locally vs. $113K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Arkansas compare to the national average for materials engineers?
Arkansas pays $104K median vs. the U.S. average of $113K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $119K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do materials engineers make in Arkansas?
The median is $103,900 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $80,120, and experienced materials engineers can clear $159,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $104K enough to live in Arkansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,466/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,021/month, which eats 15.8% 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 Arkansas?
Arkansas has a Regional Price Parity of 87.64 (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 $118,553 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.