Materials Engineers pay range in Memphis
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $67,860 a year or less, while the top 10% make $176,150 or more. The middle half of materials engineers in Memphis earn between $76,740 and $120,050.
- $68K10th
- $77K25th
- $85KMedian
- $120K75th
- $176K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $103,490 | $8,624 | $49.75 |
| Median | $85,000 | $7,083 | $40.87 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $76,740 | $6,395 | $36.89 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $120,050 | $10,004 | $57.72 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Materials Engineers salary after taxes in Memphis
On the average salary of $103,490, a single filer in Memphis takes home about $81,635 a year, or $6,803 a month and $3,140 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
The Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in TN | $81,635 | $6,803 |
| Working in MS | $78,228 | $6,519 |
| Working in AR | $78,006 | $6,501 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Memphis a good place for materials engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Memphis area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.2), so the average $103,490 buys what about $112,271 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Memphis ($46,890). A typical home costs $247,229, or 2.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Materials Engineers salary in other Tennessee cities
Memphis ranks 3rd of 4 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Chattanooga pays the most ($108,340).
- Chattanooga$108,340
- Nashville$106,390
- Memphis$103,490
- Knoxville$96,890
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 Memphis: questions
How much do materials engineers make an hour in Memphis?
$49.76 an hour on average, and $40.86 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level materials engineers salary in Memphis?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $67,860 a year and the 25th percentile is $76,740, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the materials engineers take-home pay in Memphis?
About $81,635 a year ($6,803 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $103,490. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do materials engineers earn more in Memphis than elsewhere?
The average here is 16% less 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 Memphis, TN-MS-AR (32820). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 13.4%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.51, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.51).
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