Materials Scientists pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $93,240 a year or less, while the top 10% make $197,910 or more. The middle half of materials scientists in Chicago earn between $104,350 and $174,110.
- $93K10th
- $104K25th
- $133KMedian
- $174K75th
- $198K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $140,350 | $11,696 | $67.48 |
| Median | $133,340 | $11,112 | $64.11 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $104,350 | $8,696 | $50.17 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $174,110 | $14,509 | $83.71 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Materials Scientists salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $140,350, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $100,389 a year, or $8,366 a month and $3,861 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $103,015 | $8,585 |
| Working in IL | $100,389 | $8,366 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for materials scientists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $140,350 buys what about $135,480 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 2.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Materials Scientists salary in nearby metro areas
- Detroit, MI$124,000
- Cincinnati, OH$105,030
- Louisville, KY$70,150
- Columbus, OH$99,670
- Cleveland, OH$118,440
- Akron, OH$115,650
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 Chicago: questions
How much do materials scientists make an hour in Chicago?
$67.48 an hour on average, and $64.10 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level materials scientists salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $93,240 a year and the 25th percentile is $104,350, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the materials scientists take-home pay in Chicago?
About $100,389 a year ($8,366 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $140,350.
Do materials scientists earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% more 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.1%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.88, this job is 1.9 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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