Materials Scientists Salary
The median pay for a materials scientists in Worcester, MA is $151,070/year ($72.63/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $98K at the entry level to $173K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.52), that's roughly $147,357 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,056/month, or 22.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $151K get you in Worcester?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Worcester’s Regional Price Parity (102.52). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Worcester
Worcester 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 $2,056/month, 23.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 102.52) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Worcester offers a genuinely strong financial position for materials scientistss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for materials scientists in metros near Worcester, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $133K | $122K |
| 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, Worcester, MA
Entry-level materials scientists (10th percentile) start around $98K. Mid-career wages sit at $151K. Top earners bring in $173K or more, a $76K 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 Worcester numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a materials scientist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Worcester?
Yes — at the median salary of $151K, rent takes 23.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,056/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials scientists in Worcester?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials scientists typically earn — is $98K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,872/month. At HUD’s $2,056/month FMR, rent would take 35% 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 Worcester?
Local pay is 28% above the national median — $151K here vs. $118K nationally.
How does Worcester compare to the national average for materials scientists?
Worcester pays $151K median vs. the U.S. average of $118K — that’s +28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.52), the purchasing-power equivalent is $147K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do materials scientists make in Worcester, MA?
The median is $151,070 a year, that works out to about $73 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $97,870, and experienced materials scientists can clear $173,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $151K enough to live in Worcester?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,871/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,056/month, which eats 23.2% 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 Worcester?
Worcester has a Regional Price Parity of 102.52 (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 $147,357 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.