Materials Scientists pay range in Philadelphia
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $72,890 a year or less, while the top 10% make $171,560 or more. The middle half of materials scientists in Philadelphia earn between $101,280 and $165,660.
- $73K10th
- $101K25th
- $127KMedian
- $166K75th
- $172K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $127,130 | $10,594 | $61.12 |
| Median | $127,470 | $10,622 | $61.28 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $101,280 | $8,440 | $48.69 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $165,660 | $13,805 | $79.64 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Materials Scientists salary after taxes in Philadelphia
On the average salary of $127,130, a single filer in Philadelphia takes home about $94,256 a year, or $7,855 a month and $3,625 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in PA | $94,256 | $7,855 |
| Working in MD | $92,273 | $7,689 |
| Working in NJ | $92,251 | $7,688 |
| Working in DE | $91,000 | $7,583 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Is Philadelphia a good place for materials scientists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Philadelphia area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 102.6), so the average $127,130 buys what about $123,964 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Philadelphia ($54,310). A typical home costs $390,463, or 3.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Materials Scientists salary in nearby metro areas
- Trenton, NJ$117,670
- Baltimore, MD$106,790
- New York, NY$123,720
- Washington, DC$121,680
- Albany, NY$138,310
- 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 Philadelphia: questions
How much do materials scientists make an hour in Philadelphia?
$61.12 an hour on average, and $61.29 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level materials scientists salary in Philadelphia?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $72,890 a year and the 25th percentile is $101,280, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the materials scientists take-home pay in Philadelphia?
About $94,256 a year ($7,855 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $127,130. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Do materials scientists earn more in Philadelphia than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (37980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.3%.
- 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.17, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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