The median annual wage for Materials Engineers in California is $127,550 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $131,080.
Pay spans roughly $87,070 at the 10th percentile to $181,500 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $61.32 per hour. An estimated 2,760 people work as materials engineers in California.
| Median (annual) | $127,550 |
| Mean (annual) | $131,080 |
| Median (hourly) | $61.32 |
| 10th percentile | $87,070 |
| 90th percentile | $181,500 |
| Employment | 2,760 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.