Materials Engineers pay range in Philadelphia
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $71,900 a year or less, while the top 10% make $184,580 or more. The middle half of materials engineers in Philadelphia earn between $94,670 and $159,750.
- $72K10th
- $95K25th
- $125KMedian
- $160K75th
- $185K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $126,850 | $10,571 | $60.99 |
| Median | $125,190 | $10,432 | $60.19 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $94,670 | $7,889 | $45.51 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $159,750 | $13,312 | $76.80 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Materials Engineers salary after taxes in Philadelphia
On the average salary of $126,850, a single filer in Philadelphia takes home about $94,074 a year, or $7,839 a month and $3,618 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in PA | $94,074 | $7,839 |
| Working in MD | $92,095 | $7,675 |
| Working in NJ | $92,078 | $7,673 |
| Working in DE | $90,827 | $7,569 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Is Philadelphia a good place for materials engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Philadelphia area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 102.6), so the average $126,850 buys what about $123,691 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Philadelphia ($54,310). A typical home costs $390,463, or 3.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Materials Engineers salary in other Pennsylvania cities
Philadelphia ranks 1st of 6 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Philadelphia$126,850
- Allentown$113,520
- Reading$107,120
- Pittsburgh$101,550
- Harrisburg$96,300
- Lancaster$89,270
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 Philadelphia: questions
How much do materials engineers make an hour in Philadelphia?
$60.99 an hour on average, and $60.19 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level materials engineers salary in Philadelphia?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $71,900 a year and the 25th percentile is $94,670, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the materials engineers take-home pay in Philadelphia?
About $94,074 a year ($7,839 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $126,850. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Do materials engineers earn more in Philadelphia than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($122,532).
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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (37980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.5%.
- 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.75, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.75).
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