Materials Engineers Salary
The median pay for a materials engineers in Pennsylvania is $98,030/year ($47.13/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $174K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $103,222 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,351/month, or 21.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $98K get you in Pennsylvania?
About materials engineers
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Pay for materials engineers in Pennsylvania runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $113K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,351/month, 21.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Pennsylvania can be a reasonable trade-off for materials engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $174K or more, a $111K spread from bottom to top.
Materials Engineers salary by metro in Pennsylvania
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $125K | +28% | 320 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $117K | +19% | 30 |
| Reading | $99K | +1% | 50 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $98K | +0% | 40 |
| Pittsburgh | $93K | -5% | 120 |
| Lancaster | $79K | -19% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track materials engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a materials engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
Yes — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 21.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials engineers in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials engineers typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,767/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 36% 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 Pennsylvania?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $98K here vs. $113K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for materials engineers?
Pennsylvania pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $113K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $103K — below the national median.
How much do materials engineers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $98,030 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,790, and experienced materials engineers can clear $173,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,195/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 21.8% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $103,222 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.