Materials Engineers Salary
The median pay for a materials engineers in Columbia, SC is $121,290/year ($58.31/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $72K at the entry level to $177K for experienced workers.
So what does $121K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (93.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About materials engineers
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What this looks like in Columbia
Materials engineers pay in Columbia tracks closely to the national median, $121K locally vs. $113K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,205/month, 16.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for materials engineers in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $107K | , |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $131K | , |
| Spartanburg | $97K | , |
| Raleigh-Cary | $104K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, SC
Entry-level materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $72K. Mid-career wages sit at $121K. Top earners bring in $177K or more, a $104K spread from bottom to top.
Materials Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Materials Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $166K | +47% | 450 |
| Maryland | $141K | +25% | 740 |
| Washington | $140K | +24% | 1,000 |
| Delaware | $131K | +16% | 40 |
| Louisiana | $129K | +14% | 90 |
| California | $128K | +14% | 3,020 |
| Illinois | $127K | +12% | 290 |
| New York | $126K | +12% | 590 |
| Colorado | $124K | +10% | 810 |
| Alaska | $123K | +9% | 70 |
| Oregon | $123K | +9% | 120 |
| Connecticut | $122K | +8% | 420 |
| South Carolina | $122K | +8% | 600 |
| Florida | $119K | +5% | 690 |
| Texas | $118K | +4% | 1,440 |
| Virginia | $117K | +3% | 620 |
| Massachusetts | $114K | +1% | 1,360 |
| Wyoming | $111K | -2% | 40 |
| Alabama | $108K | -5% | 650 |
| New Jersey | $107K | -5% | 260 |
| Arizona | $107K | -5% | 580 |
| Ohio | $107K | -6% | 1,790 |
| Minnesota | $106K | -6% | 150 |
| Idaho | $106K | -6% | 90 |
| North Carolina | $104K | -8% | 640 |
| Arkansas | $104K | -8% | 90 |
| New Hampshire | $101K | -10% | 70 |
| Indiana | $101K | -10% | 570 |
| Georgia | $101K | -11% | 700 |
| Kentucky | $101K | -11% | 280 |
| Kansas | $100K | -11% | 270 |
| Oklahoma | $100K | -11% | 240 |
| Nevada | $99K | -12% | 100 |
| Missouri | $99K | -12% | 300 |
| Nebraska | $98K | -13% | 160 |
| Pennsylvania | $98K | -13% | 720 |
| Maine | $97K | -14% | 100 |
| Wisconsin | $96K | -15% | 280 |
| Michigan | $94K | -17% | 810 |
| Tennessee | $92K | -19% | 330 |
| Utah | $88K | -22% | 460 |
| Rhode Island | $87K | -23% | 50 |
| Mississippi | $79K | -30% | 100 |
| Montana | $76K | -33% | 90 |
| Iowa | $64K | -43% | 200 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track materials engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbia numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a materials engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
Yes — at the median salary of $121K, rent takes 16.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,205/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials engineers in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials engineers typically earn — is $72K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,339/month. At HUD’s $1,205/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is materials engineer a high-paying job in Columbia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $121K locally vs. $113K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for materials engineers?
Columbia pays $121K median vs. the U.S. average of $113K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $129K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do materials engineers make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $121,290 a year, that works out to about $58 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $72,320, and experienced materials engineers can clear $176,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $121K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,293/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,205/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 Columbia?
Columbia 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 $129,445 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.