Materials Engineers Salary
The median pay for a materials engineers in Kansas is $100,000/year ($48.08/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $83K at the entry level to $164K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.54), which stretches that salary to about $111,682 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,066/month, or 16.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kansas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $100K get you in Kansas?
About materials engineers
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What this looks like in Kansas
Pay for materials engineers in Kansas runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $113K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,066/month, 17.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.54 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Kansas can be a reasonable trade-off for materials engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kansas
Entry-level materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $83K. Mid-career wages sit at $100K. Top earners bring in $164K or more, a $81K spread from bottom to top.
Materials Engineers salary by metro in Kansas
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wichita | $100K | +0% | 190 |
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a materials engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kansas?
Yes — at the median salary of $100K, rent takes 17.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,066/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials engineers in Kansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials engineers typically earn — is $83K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,008/month. At HUD’s $1,066/month FMR, rent would take 21% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is materials engineer a high-paying job in Kansas?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $100K here vs. $113K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kansas compare to the national average for materials engineers?
Kansas pays $100K median vs. the U.S. average of $113K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $112K — below the national median.
How much do materials engineers make in Kansas?
The median is $100,000 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $83,460, and experienced materials engineers can clear $164,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $100K enough to live in Kansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,141/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,066/month, which eats 17.4% 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 Kansas?
Kansas has a Regional Price Parity of 89.54 (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 $111,682 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.