Materials Engineers Salary
The median pay for a materials engineers in Colorado is $124,030/year ($59.63/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $181K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $119,593 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,832/month, or 23.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $124K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About materials engineers
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What this looks like in Colorado
Materials engineers pay in Colorado tracks closely to the national median, $124K locally vs. $113K nationwide, a 10% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,832/month, 24.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 103.71) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $124K. Top earners bring in $181K or more, a $116K spread from bottom to top.
Materials Engineers salary by metro in Colorado
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder | $152K | +23% | 210 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $126K | +1% | 480 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $95K | -24% | 30 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a materials engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
Yes — at the median salary of $124K, rent takes 24.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,832/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials engineers in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials engineers typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,255/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 43% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is materials engineer a high-paying job in Colorado?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $124K locally vs. $113K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for materials engineers?
Colorado pays $124K median vs. the U.S. average of $113K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $120K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do materials engineers make in Colorado?
The median is $124,030 a year, that works out to about $60 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,710, and experienced materials engineers can clear $180,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $124K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,506/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 24.4% 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 Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 103.71 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median materials engineers salary is worth about $119,593 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.