Materials Scientists Salary
The median pay for a materials scientists in Rochester, NY is $102,890/year ($49.47/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $90K at the entry level to $168K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.03), that's roughly $106,039 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,573/month, or 24.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $103K get you in Rochester?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rochester’s Regional Price Parity (97.03). 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 Rochester
Pay for materials scientists in Rochester runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $118K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,573/month, 25% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.03) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Rochester can be a reasonable trade-off for materials scientistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for materials scientists in metros near Rochester, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $121K | $107K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $133K | $133K |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $133K | $122K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $127K | $124K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rochester, NY
Entry-level materials scientists (10th percentile) start around $90K. Mid-career wages sit at $103K. Top earners bring in $168K or more, a $78K 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
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 Rochester numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a materials scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rochester?
Yes — at the median salary of $103K, rent takes 25% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,573/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials scientists in Rochester?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials scientists typically earn — is $90K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,404/month. At HUD’s $1,573/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is materials scientist a high-paying job in Rochester?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $103K here vs. $118K nationally.
How does Rochester compare to the national average for materials scientists?
Rochester pays $103K median vs. the U.S. average of $118K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $106K — below the national median.
How much do materials scientists make in Rochester, NY?
The median is $102,890 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $90,060, and experienced materials scientists can clear $167,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $103K enough to live in Rochester?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,304/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month, which eats 25% 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 Rochester?
Rochester has a Regional Price Parity of 97.03 (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 scientists salary is worth about $106,039 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.