Materials Scientists Salary
The median pay for a materials scientists in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is $106,720/year ($51.31/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $182K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.78), so that salary is closer to $100,889 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,169/month, about 31.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $107K actually covers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Denver-Aurora-Centennial’s Regional Price Parity (105.78). 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial
Materials scientists pay in Denver-Aurora-Centennial tracks closely to the national median, $107K locally vs. $118K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $2,169/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.78), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
Entry-level materials scientists (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $107K. Top earners bring in $182K or more, a $113K 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 annually. We'll email you when Denver-Aurora-Centennial numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a materials scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $107K, rent takes 33% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,169/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials scientists in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials scientists typically earn — is $69K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,499/month. At HUD’s $2,169/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $107K locally vs. $118K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Denver-Aurora-Centennial compare to the national average for materials scientists?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial pays $107K median vs. the U.S. average of $118K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $101K — below the national median.
How much do materials scientists make in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
The median is $106,720 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,140, and experienced materials scientists can clear $182,380. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $107K enough to live in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,564/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,169/month, which eats 33% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial has a Regional Price Parity of 105.78 (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 $100,889 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.