Materials Engineers Salary
The median pay for a materials engineers in Louisiana is $128,670/year ($61.86/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $81K at the entry level to $171K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $147,422 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,191/month, or 15.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Louisiana. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $129K get you in Louisiana?
About materials engineers
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Louisiana sits well above the national pay line for materials engineers, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $113K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,191/month, 15.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Louisiana offers a genuinely strong financial position for materials engineerss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $81K. Mid-career wages sit at $129K. Top earners bring in $171K or more, a $90K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track materials engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a materials engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $129K, rent takes 15.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials engineers in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials engineers typically earn — is $81K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,852/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 25% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is materials engineer a high-paying job in Louisiana?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $129K here vs. $113K nationally.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for materials engineers?
Louisiana pays $129K median vs. the U.S. average of $113K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $147K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do materials engineers make in Louisiana?
The median is $128,670 a year, that works out to about $62 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $80,860, and experienced materials engineers can clear $171,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $129K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,818/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 15.2% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $147,422 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.