Materials Scientists pay range in Trenton
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $86,610 a year or less, while the top 10% make $163,890 or more. The middle half of materials scientists in Trenton earn between $101,510 and $128,490.
- $87K10th
- $102K25th
- $118KMedian
- $128K75th
- $164K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $117,670 | $9,806 | $56.57 |
| Median | $117,650 | $9,804 | $56.56 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $101,510 | $8,459 | $48.80 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $128,490 | $10,708 | $61.77 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Materials Scientists salary after taxes in Trenton
On the average salary of $117,670, a single filer in Trenton takes home about $86,305 a year, or $7,192 a month and $3,319 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). New Jersey's employee unemployment, disability and family-leave contributions are not included.
Is Trenton a good place for materials scientists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Trenton area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.2), so the average $117,670 buys what about $114,043 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Trenton ($63,490). A typical home costs $446,377, or 3.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Materials Scientists salary in nearby metro areas
- Philadelphia, PA$127,130
- New York, NY$123,720
- Baltimore, MD$106,790
- Albany, NY$138,310
- Washington, DC$121,680
- Worcester, MA$150,530
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 Trenton: questions
How much do materials scientists make an hour in Trenton?
$56.57 an hour on average, and $56.56 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level materials scientists salary in Trenton?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $86,610 a year and the 25th percentile is $101,510, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the materials scientists take-home pay in Trenton?
About $86,305 a year ($7,192 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $117,670. New Jersey's employee unemployment, disability and family-leave contributions are not included.
Do materials scientists earn more in Trenton than elsewhere?
The average here is 12% 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 Trenton-Princeton, NJ (45940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.5%.
- 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). New Jersey's employee unemployment, disability and family-leave contributions are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 4.47, this job is 4.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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