Materials Engineers Salary
The median pay for a materials engineers in Tennessee is $91,940/year ($44.2/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $149K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $102,406 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,215/month, or 19.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $92K actually covers in Tennessee, month by month
About materials engineers
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for materials engineers in Tennessee runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $113K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,215/month, 20% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Tennessee can be a reasonable trade-off for materials engineers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $92K. Top earners bring in $149K or more, a $86K spread from bottom to top.
Materials Engineers salary by metro in Tennessee
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga | $103K | +12% | 70 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $89K | -3% | 70 |
| Memphis | $85K | -8% | 50 |
| Knoxville | $83K | -9% | 80 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Tennessee 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 Tennessee?
Yes — at the median salary of $92K, rent takes 20% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials engineers in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials engineers typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,437/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is materials engineer a high-paying job in Tennessee?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $92K here vs. $113K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for materials engineers?
Tennessee pays $92K median vs. the U.S. average of $113K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $102K — below the national median.
How much do materials engineers make in Tennessee?
The median is $91,940 a year, that works out to about $44 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,760, and experienced materials engineers can clear $149,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $92K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,089/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 20% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $102,406 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.