Materials Engineers Salary
The median pay for a materials engineers in Knoxville, TN is $83,240/year ($40.02/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $130K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.57), which stretches that salary to about $89,921 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,471/month, or 26.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $83K get you in Knoxville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Knoxville’s Regional Price Parity (92.57). 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 Knoxville
Pay for materials engineers in Knoxville runs about 26% below the U.S. median of $113K. Rent runs $1,471/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.57 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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 Knoxville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga | $103K | $113K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $89K | $92K |
| Memphis | $85K | $92K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $104K | $106K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Knoxville, TN
Entry-level materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $130K or more, a $69K 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 with published data
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 Knoxville numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a materials engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Knoxville?
Yes — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 26.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,471/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials engineers in Knoxville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials engineers typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,666/month. At HUD’s $1,471/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Knoxville?
Local pay runs 26% below the national median — $83K here vs. $113K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Knoxville compare to the national average for materials engineers?
Knoxville pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $113K — that’s -26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — below the national median.
How much do materials engineers make in Knoxville, TN?
The median is $83,240 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,100, and experienced materials engineers can clear $130,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in Knoxville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,579/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,471/month, which eats 26.4% 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 Knoxville?
Knoxville has a Regional Price Parity of 92.57 (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 $89,921 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.