National Salary Info » Materials Engineers

Highest Paying Industries for Materials Engineers

The top 100 highest paying industries for materials engineers (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $113,140, computer systems design and related services is the highest paying industry for materials engineers. It is followed by petroleum and coal products manufacturing industry (average annual salary $112,870). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of materials engineers in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Materials Engineers

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$113,140	$77,890	90
2	Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	$112,870	$61,400	60
3	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$111,610	$77,030	1,300
4	Federal government, including USPS	$111,410	$77,040	1,310
5	Local government, including schools and hospitals	$104,940	$67,990	140
6	Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$104,940	$67,990	140
7	Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	$104,310	$68,230	3,430
8	Waste Management and Remediation Services	$103,520	$80,600	n/a
9	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$102,980	$68,110	1,890
10	Federal, State, and Local Government	$102,980	$68,110	1,890
11	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$100,740	$61,860	2,020
12	Specialized Design Services	$99,150	$64,300	50
13	Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers	$98,050	$56,470	370
14	Support Activities for Mining	$97,820	$69,740	40
15	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$97,750	$59,040	4,210
16	Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing	$95,760	$58,110	130
17	Communications Equipment Manufacturing	$93,680	$63,130	100
18	Rubber Product Manufacturing	$92,660	$48,500	100
19	Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing	$92,500	$57,340	110
20	Industrial Machinery Manufacturing	$92,320	$50,410	640
21	Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing	$92,120	$58,630	1,400
22	Fabric Mills	$91,210	$64,110	50
23	Textile Mills	$91,210	$64,110	50
24	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$90,980	$63,190	70
25	Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills	$90,960	$65,950	80
26	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$90,700	$58,540	2,470
27	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$90,210	$58,830	1,990
28	Scientific Research and Development Services	$90,210	$58,830	1,990
29	Wholesale Trade	$89,850	$53,060	810
30	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$89,820	$60,680	990
31	Ship and Boat Building	$89,020	$53,230	40
32	Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing	$88,840	$64,510	60
33	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$88,580	$57,750	870
34	Basic Chemical Manufacturing	$88,190	$61,880	170
35	Mining (except Oil and Gas)	$87,920	$64,100	210
36	Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing	$87,610	$56,340	280
37	Mining	$87,200	$62,790	360
38	Utilities	$87,110	$61,030	120
39	Metal Ore Mining	$87,060	$64,260	190
40	Miscellaneous Manufacturing	$86,880	$55,210	360
41	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	$86,320	$50,330	480
42	Manufacturing	$86,140	$52,630	14,330
43	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$86,050	$51,670	5,580
44	Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods	$85,720	$52,800	100
45	Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$85,710	$44,470	50
46	Engineering Services	$85,360	$48,480	2,640
47	Paper Manufacturing	$85,090	$56,880	190
48	Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing	$84,960	$63,630	130
49	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$84,190	$53,750	170
50	Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods	$83,890	$50,110	340
51	Boiler, Tank, and Shipping Container Manufacturing	$83,810	$47,340	50
52	Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$83,800	$51,150	50
53	Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing	$83,700	$54,650	250
54	Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing	$83,220	$54,060	100
55	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$82,510	$45,980	3,270
56	Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing	$82,240	$56,370	450
57	Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing	$82,180	$38,530	80
58	Machinery Manufacturing	$82,110	$49,350	1,330
59	Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing	$82,100	$55,360	410
60	Administrative and Support Services	$82,000	$49,260	420
61	State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$81,720	$51,250	450
62	Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing	$81,590	$62,490	180
63	Employment Services	$81,440	$49,090	420
64	Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing	$81,360	$61,320	80
65	Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing	$81,140	$49,720	60
66	Other Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing	$81,090	$50,710	70
67	Electrical Equipment Manufacturing	$80,880	$54,850	110
68	Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing	$80,830	$54,060	450
69	Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$80,340	$50,760	110
70	Natural Gas Distribution	$80,330	$57,890	60
71	Converted Paper Product Manufacturing	$79,820	$53,500	110
72	Clay Product and Refractory Manufacturing	$79,810	$55,340	200
73	Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities	$79,710	$50,520	100
74	Oil and Gas Extraction	$79,630	$56,160	110
75	Plastics Product Manufacturing	$79,610	$55,060	360
76	Temporary Help Services	$79,480	$48,570	370
77	Chemical Manufacturing	$78,760	$58,180	790
78	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Privately owned	$78,340	$17,860	40
79	Educational Services - Privately owned	$77,760	$18,030	40
80	Forging and Stamping	$77,530	$44,300	140
81	Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers	$76,990	$50,980	40
82	Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing	$76,640	$43,710	880
83	Other Services (except Federal, State, and Local Government)	$76,540	$65,670	n/a
84	State government, including schools and hospitals	$76,040	$48,640	580
85	Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing	$76,020	$45,140	1,090
86	Repair and Maintenance	$76,000	$65,560	n/a
87	Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel	$75,820	$49,500	240
88	Transportation and Warehousing	$75,800	$54,750	160
89	Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing	$75,420	$49,340	320
90	Pipeline Transportation	$75,390	$59,490	120
91	Metal and Mineral (except Petroleum) Merchant Wholesalers	$75,150	$51,600	50
92	Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing	$75,100	$42,440	40
93	Primary Metal Manufacturing	$74,830	$46,980	2,540
94	Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	$74,550	$56,440	340
95	Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas	$73,810	$58,390	110
96	Architectural and Structural Metals Manufacturing	$72,520	$39,780	160
97	Agriculture, Construction, and Mining Machinery Manufacturing	$72,190	$53,120	80
98	Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing	$72,160	$49,410	70
99	Testing Laboratories	$71,760	$38,980	630
100	Foundries	$71,080	$49,910	750