Materials Scientists Salary
The median pay for a materials scientists in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA is $150,550/year ($72.38/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $99K at the entry level to $199K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $142,810 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,922/month, or 21.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $151K get you in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro sits well above the national pay line for materials scientists, local pay runs about 28% higher than the U.S. median of $118K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,922/month, 22.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Combined with manageable housing costs, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro offers a genuinely strong financial position for materials scientistss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for materials scientists in metros near Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $232K | $200K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $150K | $132K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $232K | $210K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $96K | $86K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Entry-level materials scientists (10th percentile) start around $99K. Mid-career wages sit at $151K. Top earners bring in $199K or more, a $100K 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a materials scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Yes — at the median salary of $151K, rent takes 22.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,922/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials scientists in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials scientists typically earn — is $99K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,911/month. At HUD’s $1,922/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Local pay is 28% above the national median — $151K here vs. $118K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 5% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro compare to the national average for materials scientists?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays $151K median vs. the U.S. average of $118K — that’s +28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $143K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do materials scientists make in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The median is $150,550 a year, that works out to about $72 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $98,510, and experienced materials scientists can clear $199,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $151K enough to live in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,395/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,922/month, which eats 22.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a materials scientists salary go in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (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 $142,810 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.