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.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $124K get you in Colorado?
About materials engineers
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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 |
Compare to other states
Track materials engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Colorado numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a materials engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
Yes — at the median salary of $124K, rent takes 27.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,044/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 $3,883/month.
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%.
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 $2,044/month, which eats 27.2% 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 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median materials engineers salary is worth about $124,030 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.