Materials Engineers Salary
The median pay for a materials engineers in Texas is $117,700/year ($56.59/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $187K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $128,648 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,415/month, or 18% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $118K get you in Texas?
About materials engineers
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What this looks like in Texas
Materials engineers pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $118K locally vs. $113K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,415/month, 18.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (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, Texas
Entry-level materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $118K. Top earners bring in $187K or more, a $120K spread from bottom to top.
Materials Engineers salary by metro in Texas
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $123K | +5% | 560 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $118K | +0% | 440 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $97K | -18% | 90 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $83K | -30% | 90 |
Compare to other states
Track materials engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a materials engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
Yes — at the median salary of $118K, rent takes 18.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials engineers in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials engineers typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,061/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 35% 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 Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $118K locally vs. $113K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for materials engineers?
Texas pays $118K median vs. the U.S. average of $113K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $129K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do materials engineers make in Texas?
The median is $117,700 a year, that works out to about $57 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,690, and experienced materials engineers can clear $187,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $118K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,599/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 18.6% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $128,648 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.