Materials Scientists pay range in Riverside
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $92,460 a year or less, while the top 10% make $172,740 or more. The middle half of materials scientists in Riverside earn between $92,460 and $140,830.
- $92K10th
- $92K25th
- $129KMedian
- $141K75th
- $173K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $129,240 | $10,770 | $62.13 |
| Median | $129,050 | $10,754 | $62.04 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $92,460 | $7,705 | $44.45 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $140,830 | $11,736 | $67.71 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Materials Scientists salary after taxes in Riverside
On the average salary of $129,240, a single filer in Riverside takes home about $91,674 a year, or $7,640 a month and $3,526 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 Riverside a good place for materials scientists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Riverside area are 6% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 106.4), so the average $129,240 buys what about $121,418 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Riverside ($48,400). A typical home costs $585,378, or 4.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Materials Scientists salary in other California cities
Riverside ranks 4th of 5 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($225,960).
- San Francisco$225,960
- San Jose$225,780
- Los Angeles$154,850
- Riverside$129,240
- San Diego$102,920
Highest-paying cities for materials scientists
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($225,960).
- San Francisco, CA$225,960
- San Jose, CA$225,780
- Los Angeles, CA$154,850
- Portland, OR$151,750
- Worcester, MA$150,530
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Materials Scientists salary in Riverside: questions
How much do materials scientists make an hour in Riverside?
$62.13 an hour on average, and $62.04 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level materials scientists salary in Riverside?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $92,460 a year and the 25th percentile is $92,460, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the materials scientists take-home pay in Riverside?
About $91,674 a year ($7,640 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $129,240. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do materials scientists earn more in Riverside than elsewhere?
The average here is 3% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($133,519).
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 19-2032; area Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA (40140). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 7.9%.
- 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 0.52, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.52).
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