Average Materials Scientists Salary in California
Materials Scientists in California earn a median annual salary of $131,530, which is +26.3% compared to the national median. There are 610 workers employed locally in this occupation.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates for California (state).
Pay distribution
Local wage range
- 10th
- $57,030
- 25th
- $96,510
- Median
- $131,530
- 75th
- $158,290
- 90th
- $182,860
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
This local range is the useful part of the page. The median tells you the center of the market in California, while the percentile band shows how compressed or wide the local pay distribution actually is.
Regional price parity
Cost-of-living context
Services: 158.9%
Rents: 154.3%
Comparison links
Comparable states for this occupation
| State | Median annual wage | Compare | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $136,300 | Compare | 80 |
| Colorado | $126,980 | Compare | N/A |
| New York | $125,490 | Compare | 630 |
| Florida | $122,910 | Compare | 100 |
| Wisconsin | $120,520 | Compare | 140 |
| Illinois | $120,320 | Compare | 470 |
The point of this table is not random nearby places. It is to show the other labor markets where this same occupation looks stronger or weaker on the same OEWS release.
Area context
Top occupations in California
| Occupation | Median annual wage | LQ |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | $220,600 | 1.49 |
| Computer And Information Systems Managers | $211,340 | 1.32 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $204,100 | 1.20 |
| Architectural And Engineering Managers | $201,810 | 1.25 |
| Physicians, All Other | $201,510 | 0.56 |
| Lawyers | $197,790 | 1.06 |
| Nurse Midwives | $196,700 | 0.91 |
| Podiatrists | $193,510 | 0.83 |
California has salary data for 806 occupations. The highest-paid occupation in this area is Chief Executives.
Historical series
Trend for Materials Scientists in California
Historical trend data is not yet available for this occupation in this area.
Interpretation
Outlook and page notes
Nationally, Materials Scientists are projected to change by +4.9% from 2024 to 2034, with 600 annual openings.
Use this page to answer three separate questions: what the occupation pays here, how large the local market is, and whether this market is unusually concentrated for the occupation.
For metro pages in particular, read long-term trend rows as directional until the area comparability layer is fully wired. OEWS area definitions can change over time, and that matters more at the metro level than at the state level.