Materials Engineers pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $87,500 a year or less, while the top 10% make $179,890 or more. The middle half of materials engineers in Los Angeles earn between $102,770 and $146,980.
- $88K10th
- $103K25th
- $125KMedian
- $147K75th
- $180K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $127,780 | $10,648 | $61.43 |
| Median | $125,200 | $10,433 | $60.19 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $102,770 | $8,564 | $49.41 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $146,980 | $12,248 | $70.66 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Materials Engineers pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Materials engineers in Los Angeles earn about the same as the California average ($131,090) and 6% more than the U.S. average ($120,250). At the median the gap is +11% against the U.S. median of $112,860.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $127,780 | $125,200 | $87,500 | $179,890 | 1,250 |
| California | $131,090 | $128,470 | $82,460 | $183,880 | 3,020 |
| United States | $120,250 | $112,860 | $72,300 | $175,720 | 22,770 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Materials Engineers salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $127,780, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $90,812 a year, or $7,568 a month and $3,493 every two weeks. Taxes take 29% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for materials engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $127,780 buys what about $112,516 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 7.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Materials Engineers salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 4th of 8 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($156,740).
- San Jose$156,740
- Bakersfield$135,510
- San Francisco$133,770
- Los Angeles$127,780
- Sacramento$122,450
- Oxnard$120,320
- San Diego$117,680
- Riverside$104,740
Highest-paying cities for materials engineers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($156,740).
- San Jose, CA$156,740
- Seattle, WA$153,780
- Washington, DC$145,070
- Boulder, CO$143,470
- Houston, TX$138,820
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Materials Engineers salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do materials engineers make an hour in Los Angeles?
$61.43 an hour on average, and $60.19 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level materials engineers salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $87,500 a year and the 25th percentile is $102,770, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the materials engineers take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $90,812 a year ($7,568 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $127,780. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do materials engineers earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% more than the U.S. average for this job ($120,250).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-2131; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.3%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.37, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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