Materials Engineers Salary
The median pay for a materials engineers in South Carolina is $121,610/year ($58.47/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $76K at the entry level to $159K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $130,525 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,263/month, or 17.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $122K actually covers in South Carolina, month by month
About materials engineers
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Materials engineers pay in South Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $122K locally vs. $113K nationwide, a 8% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,263/month, 17.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.17 (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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $76K. Mid-career wages sit at $122K. Top earners bring in $159K or more, a $83K spread from bottom to top.
Materials Engineers salary by metro in South Carolina
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston | $131K | +8% | 200 |
| Columbia | $121K | -0% | 40 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $107K | -12% | 230 |
| Spartanburg | $97K | -21% | 30 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when South Carolina numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a materials engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $122K, rent takes 17.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials engineers in South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials engineers typically earn — is $76K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,861/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is materials engineer a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $122K locally vs. $113K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for materials engineers?
South Carolina pays $122K median vs. the U.S. average of $113K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $131K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do materials engineers make in South Carolina?
The median is $121,610 a year, that works out to about $58 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $75,550, and experienced materials engineers can clear $158,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $122K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,310/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 17.3% 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 South Carolina?
South Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 93.17 (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 $130,525 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.