Materials Engineers Salary in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
The median pay for a materials engineers in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX is $147,080/year ($70.71/hour), per BLS data. Entry-level workers start around $68K. (BLS did not publish a top-end figure for this area.) Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.63), that's roughly $149,123 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,573/month, or 16.6% of estimated take-home pay.
AffordMap analysis of BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (latest release, May 2024)
So what does $147K get you in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
About materials engineers
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Entry-level materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $147K.BLS did not publish 90th percentile data for this occupation in this area (sample size too small).
Materials Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $141K | +30% | 1,240 |
| Maryland | $131K | +21% | 960 |
| Delaware | $128K | +18% | 50 |
| California | $128K | +18% | 2,760 |
| Oregon | $127K | +18% | 90 |
| New York | $122K | +13% | 750 |
| Alaska | $121K | +11% | 70 |
| Texas | $116K | +7% | 1,730 |
| Wyoming | $114K | +6% | 40 |
| Massachusetts | $111K | +3% | 1,060 |
| South Carolina | $111K | +2% | 440 |
| Alabama | $110K | +2% | 660 |
| Tennessee | $109K | +0% | 550 |
| Arizona | $108K | -0% | 380 |
| Minnesota | $106K | -2% | 180 |
Track materials engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do materials engineers make in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX?
The median is $147,080 a year - that works out to about $70.71 an hour. The range is wide: entry-level workers start around $68,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $147K enough to live in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,274/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month (HUD Fair Market Rent), which eats 17% 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands has a Regional Price Parity of 98.63 (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 $149,123 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.