Materials Scientists Salary
The median pay for a materials scientists in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH is $132,600/year ($63.75/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $96K at the entry level to $169K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.27), so that salary is closer to $122,472 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,941/month, about 36.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $133K get you in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Boston-Cambridge-Newton’s Regional Price Parity (108.27). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About materials scientists
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What this looks like in Boston-Cambridge-Newton
Boston-Cambridge-Newton sits well above the national pay line for materials scientists, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $118K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,941/month, which is 37.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.27), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for materials scientists in metros near Boston-Cambridge-Newton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Worcester | $151K | $147K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $121K | $107K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $133K | $133K |
| Rochester | $103K | $106K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
Entry-level materials scientists (10th percentile) start around $96K. Mid-career wages sit at $133K. Top earners bring in $169K or more, a $73K spread from bottom to top.
Materials Scientists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Materials Scientists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $177K | +50% | 1,030 |
| Oregon | $151K | +28% | 100 |
| Wisconsin | $138K | +17% | 70 |
| District of Columbia | $138K | +17% | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $133K | +13% | 890 |
| Minnesota | $132K | +12% | 290 |
| New York | $132K | +12% | 530 |
| Indiana | $131K | +11% | 320 |
| Connecticut | $130K | +11% | 50 |
| Washington | $127K | +8% | 290 |
| Utah | $127K | +8% | 110 |
| Illinois | $126K | +7% | 380 |
| Virginia | $124K | +5% | 100 |
| New Hampshire | $120K | +2% | 80 |
| Colorado | $117K | -0% | 370 |
| Kansas | $115K | -2% | 40 |
| Maryland | $112K | -5% | 270 |
| Ohio | $109K | -8% | 450 |
| Michigan | $107K | -9% | 230 |
| Pennsylvania | $107K | -9% | 100 |
| North Carolina | $106K | -10% | 490 |
| New Jersey | $103K | -12% | 440 |
| Florida | $102K | -13% | 200 |
| South Carolina | $102K | -13% | 80 |
| Nevada | $97K | -17% | 100 |
| Georgia | $92K | -22% | 350 |
| Iowa | $88K | -25% | 180 |
| Texas | $73K | -38% | 300 |
| Montana | $72K | -39% | 50 |
| Tennessee | $69K | -41% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 30 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track materials scientists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Boston-Cambridge-Newton numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a materials scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $133K, rent takes 37.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,941/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials scientists in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials scientists typically earn — is $96K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,779/month. At HUD’s $2,941/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is materials scientist a high-paying job in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $133K here vs. $118K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 8% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Boston-Cambridge-Newton compare to the national average for materials scientists?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton pays $133K median vs. the U.S. average of $118K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.27), the purchasing-power equivalent is $122K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do materials scientists make in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?
The median is $132,600 a year, that works out to about $64 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $96,310, and experienced materials scientists can clear $169,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $133K enough to live in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,896/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,941/month, which eats 37.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a materials scientists salary go in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton has a Regional Price Parity of 108.27 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median materials scientists salary is worth about $122,472 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do materials scientists 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.