SOC 19-2032 · Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro

Materials Scientists Salary in Charlotte, NC

The average salary for materials scientists in Charlotte, North Carolina is $113,310 a year ($54.47 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $102,070: half of the 60 people in this job in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 15% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($133,519).

$113,310average per year

$54.47 / hourMedian $102,070Take-home ≈ $84,531

  • $81K10th
  • $86K25th
  • $102KMedian
  • $127K75th
  • $164K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

60people in this job
-15%vs U.S. metro average
#1 of 3North Carolina metros
97cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Materials Scientists pay range in Charlotte

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $81,470 a year or less, while the top 10% make $163,700 or more. The middle half of materials scientists in Charlotte earn between $85,520 and $126,850.

  • $81K10th
  • $86K25th
  • $102KMedian
  • $127K75th
  • $164K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$113,310$9,442$54.48
Median$102,070$8,506$49.07
Entry level (25th percentile)$85,520$7,127$41.12
Experienced (75th percentile)$126,850$10,571$60.99

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Materials Scientists salary after taxes in Charlotte

On the average salary of $113,310, a single filer in Charlotte takes home about $84,531 a year, or $7,044 a month and $3,251 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.

The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in NC$84,531$7,044
Working in SC$83,606$6,967

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

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Is Charlotte a good place for materials scientists? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Charlotte area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.3), so the average $113,310 buys what about $116,397 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Charlotte ($49,990). A typical home costs $390,321, or 3.4 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $113,310 is worth in another city

Materials Scientists salary in other North Carolina cities

Charlotte ranks 1st of 3 North Carolina metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.

All Materials Scientists salaries in North Carolina

Highest-paying cities for materials scientists

San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($225,960).

Materials Scientists salary by city

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Materials Scientists salary in Charlotte: questions

How much do materials scientists make an hour in Charlotte?

$54.47 an hour on average, and $49.07 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level materials scientists salary in Charlotte?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $81,470 a year and the 25th percentile is $85,520, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the materials scientists take-home pay in Charlotte?

About $84,531 a year ($7,044 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $113,310.

Do materials scientists earn more in Charlotte than elsewhere?

The average here is 15% 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (16740). 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 (2026 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.83, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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