Materials Engineers Salary
The median pay for a materials engineers in Utah is $88,080/year ($42.35/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $141K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.54), that's roughly $89,385 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,350/month, or 24.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Utah. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $88K actually covers in Utah, month by month
About materials engineers
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What this looks like in Utah
Pay for materials engineers in Utah runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $113K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,350/month, 24.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 98.54) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Utah can be a reasonable trade-off for materials engineers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Utah
Entry-level materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $88K. Top earners bring in $141K or more, a $71K spread from bottom to top.
Materials Engineers salary by metro in Utah
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ogden | $101K | +14% | 110 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $77K | -12% | 250 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Utah 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 Utah?
Yes — at the median salary of $88K, rent takes 24.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,350/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials engineers in Utah?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials engineers typically earn — is $69K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,486/month. At HUD’s $1,350/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is materials engineer a high-paying job in Utah?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $88K here vs. $113K nationally.
How does Utah compare to the national average for materials engineers?
Utah pays $88K median vs. the U.S. average of $113K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — below the national median.
How much do materials engineers make in Utah?
The median is $88,080 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,180, and experienced materials engineers can clear $140,620. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $88K enough to live in Utah?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,521/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,350/month, which eats 24.5% 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 Utah?
Utah has a Regional Price Parity of 98.54 (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 $89,385 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.