Materials Engineers Salary
The median pay for a materials engineers in Virginia is $116,720/year ($56.12/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $170K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $123,135 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,646/month, or 22.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $117K get you in Virginia?
About materials engineers
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What this looks like in Virginia
Materials engineers pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $117K locally vs. $113K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,646/month, 23.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Virginia
Entry-level materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $117K. Top earners bring in $170K or more, a $93K spread from bottom to top.
Materials Engineers salary by metro in Virginia
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $117K | +0% | 190 |
| Richmond | $102K | -12% | 200 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a materials engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $117K, rent takes 23.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials engineers in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials engineers typically earn — is $77K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,649/month. At HUD’s $1,646/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 Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $117K locally vs. $113K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for materials engineers?
Virginia pays $117K median vs. the U.S. average of $113K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $123K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do materials engineers make in Virginia?
The median is $116,720 a year, that works out to about $56 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $77,490, and experienced materials engineers can clear $170,210. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $117K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,025/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 23.4% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $123,135 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.