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Materials Engineers Salary in California
Materials Engineers in California earn a median $128,470 a year, 14% above the U.S. median.
- Median in CA
- $128,470 a year
- U.S. median
- $112,860 a year
- Employment
- 3,020
- Location quotient
- 1.13
- Share of jobs vs. U.S. (1.00 = same)
Pay range in California
- Median (50%)
- $128,470 · $61.77 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $131,090 · $63.03 an hour (estimate error ±1.2%)
- 10th percentile
- $82,460 · $39.64 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $103,250 · $49.64 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $157,980 · $75.95 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $183,880 · $88.40 an hour
- Employment
- 3,020 (estimate error ±4.2%)
- Jobs per 1,000
- 0.17
- Location quotient
- 1.13 (1.00 = national share)
Materials Engineers pay by metro area in California
Includes metro areas that cross into this state and nonmetropolitan areas
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $156,730 | 550 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $130,440 | 50 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $130,040 | 100 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $129,480 | 340 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $125,200 | 1,250 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $124,180 | 260 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $122,450 | 60 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $109,100 | 90 |
H-1B filings for materials engineers in California
FY 2026 through Q3, by work location
330 certified filings with a median offered wage of $150,000.
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Frequently asked questions
- How much do materials engineers make in California?
- The median wage for materials engineers in California is $128,470 a year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). There are about 3,020 jobs in the state.
- Where in California do materials engineers earn the most?
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has the highest median wage in the state for this occupation at $156,730 a year.