Materials Engineers Salary
The median pay for a materials engineers in Ohio is $106,510/year ($51.21/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $76K at the entry level to $169K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.45), which stretches that salary to about $116,468 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,188/month, or 17.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Ohio. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $107K get you in Ohio?
About materials engineers
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What this looks like in Ohio
Materials engineers pay in Ohio tracks closely to the national median, $107K locally vs. $113K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,188/month, 17.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ohio
Entry-level materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $76K. Mid-career wages sit at $107K. Top earners bring in $169K or more, a $93K spread from bottom to top.
Materials Engineers salary by metro in Ohio
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $137K | +29% | 260 |
| Cincinnati | $128K | +20% | 380 |
| Toledo | $111K | +4% | 260 |
| Cleveland | $106K | -0% | 270 |
| Youngstown-Warren | $105K | -1% | 30 |
| Columbus | $104K | -2% | 220 |
| Akron | $103K | -4% | 110 |
| Canton-Massillon | $100K | -6% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track materials engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Ohio numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a materials engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ohio?
Yes — at the median salary of $107K, rent takes 17.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,188/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials engineers in Ohio?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials engineers typically earn — is $76K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,562/month. At HUD’s $1,188/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is materials engineer a high-paying job in Ohio?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $107K locally vs. $113K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Ohio compare to the national average for materials engineers?
Ohio pays $107K median vs. the U.S. average of $113K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $116K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do materials engineers make in Ohio?
The median is $106,510 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $76,030, and experienced materials engineers can clear $169,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $107K enough to live in Ohio?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,752/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,188/month, which eats 17.6% 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 Ohio?
Ohio has a Regional Price Parity of 91.45 (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 $116,468 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.