Materials Scientists Salary
The median pay for a materials scientists in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is $96,050/year ($46.18/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $162K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.89), so that salary is closer to $85,843 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,001/month, about 49.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $96K get you in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad’s Regional Price Parity (111.89). 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Pay for materials scientists in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $118K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,001/month, which is 50.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 12% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.89), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for materials scientistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for materials scientists in metros near San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, 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 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $129K | $121K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Entry-level materials scientists (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $96K. Top earners bring in $162K or more, a $112K 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a materials scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $96K, rent takes 50.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,001/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials scientists in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials scientists typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,974/month. At HUD’s $3,001/month FMR, rent would take 101% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $96K here vs. $118K nationally.
How does San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad compare to the national average for materials scientists?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad pays $96K median vs. the U.S. average of $118K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — below the national median.
How much do materials scientists make in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?
The median is $96,050 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,570, and experienced materials scientists can clear $161,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $96K enough to live in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,907/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,001/month, which eats 50.8% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad has a Regional Price Parity of 111.89 (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 $85,843 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.