Materials Engineers Salary
The median pay for a materials engineers in Wisconsin is $96,210/year ($46.25/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $128K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $101,993 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,202/month, or 19.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $96K get you in Wisconsin?
About materials engineers
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Pay for materials engineers in Wisconsin runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $113K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,202/month, 20% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Wisconsin can be a reasonable trade-off for materials engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wisconsin
Entry-level materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $96K. Top earners bring in $128K or more, a $63K spread from bottom to top.
Materials Engineers salary by metro in Wisconsin
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | $111K | +15% | 30 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $97K | +1% | 90 |
Compare to other states
Track materials engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Wisconsin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a materials engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wisconsin?
Yes — at the median salary of $96K, rent takes 20% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials engineers in Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials engineers typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,910/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 31% 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 Wisconsin?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $96K here vs. $113K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for materials engineers?
Wisconsin pays $96K median vs. the U.S. average of $113K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $102K — below the national median.
How much do materials engineers make in Wisconsin?
The median is $96,210 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,160, and experienced materials engineers can clear $127,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $96K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,001/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $101,993 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.