Materials engineer salary in California
In California, space employers offer materials engineers and chemists a median of $153k a year, the middle half $127k–$170k $2.5k above the national posted median. From 26 jobs at 12 employers that name a salary in their postings.
- 25th percentile$126,800/hr
- Median (50th)$152,500/hr
- 75th percentile$169,875/hr
- Distinct posted rates26
- Jobs stating an hourly rate26
- Employers12
The median is the middle of the 26 distinct rates they post, and the middle half, $126,800–$169,875 an hour, runs from their 25th percentile to their 75th: half of the rates fall between them. Each range counts at its midpoint, and a job posted many times at one rate counts once, so no employer's posting volume sets the figure.
- 25th percentile$126,800/hr
- Median (50th)$152,500/hr
- 75th percentile$169,875/hr
- Distinct posted rates26
- Jobs stating an hourly rate26
- Employers12
The median is the middle of the 26 distinct rates they post, and the middle half, $126,800–$169,875 an hour, runs from their 25th percentile to their 75th: half of the rates fall between them. Each range counts at its midpoint, and a job posted many times at one rate counts once, so no employer's posting volume sets the figure.
- Median posted pay, a year$152,500
- Hours in a full-time year2,080
- The same per hour, full time$73.32/hr
Every figure here is a year's pay: a job that posts pay counts at 2,080 hours (40 a week for 52 weeks). Rounded to the nearest $100.
- Relativity Space8 jobs
- SpaceX4 jobs
- Northrop Grumman3 jobs
- Lockheed Martin2 jobs
- L3Harris2 jobs
- Inversion Space1 job
- Virgin Galactic1 job
- Xona Space Systems1 job
- Viasat1 job
- Anduril1 job
Jobs stating pay, the employers with the most first: 24 at the 10 shown and 2 at 2 other employers, 26 in all.
The jobs themselves: Materials engineer jobs in California · Materials engineer pay nationwide
What materials engineers and chemists are paid in California
Each bar counts the open jobs posting pay in its step of pay (a range at its midpoint).
Median $153k a year. Middle half $127k to $170k. Point at a bar for its count. Tap a bar for its count.
Posted on open jobs in California
Middle half of 26 distinct posted rates (a job posted many times at one rate counted once), median $153k. 87% of the 30 open materials engineer jobs in California state pay.
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Materials engineer pay by town in California
Towns where at least three open jobs state pay, the towns with the most such jobs first.
| Town | Median posted | Posted range | Jobs (employers) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Beach | $155k | $86.1k–$226k | 9 (2) |
| Hawthorne | $130k | $100k–$175k | 4 (1) |
Median of employers' rates in the town, the lowest and highest rate posted, and the jobs and employers behind them. A town opens its own job page.
Materials engineer pay by employer in California
What each employer posts for materials engineers and chemists here, the employers with the most jobs stating pay first.
Median of each employer's jobs in California (a range at its midpoint), and its lowest and highest rate here. An employer's name opens its pay for materials engineers and chemists nationwide when it has such a page.
Best-paid open materials engineer jobs in California
The open jobs posting the highest pay figures tonight, at most two from one employer.
$175,000–$244,000/yr
$160,544–$244,948/yr
$150,000–$226,000/yr- $150,000–$226,000/yr
$173,000–$197,000/yr
$141,500–$224,000/yr
$147,000–$196,000/yr
$140,000–$190,000/yr
$125,000–$175,000/yr
$86,100–$195,552/yr- $100,000–$160,000/yr
$103,600–$155,400/yr
Materials engineer salary in California: common questions
How much does a materials engineer make in California?
Open materials engineer jobs in California that state pay post a median of $153k, the middle half $127k–$170k (26 jobs from 12 employers).
Where in California do materials engineers and chemists earn the most?
By the median rate open jobs post, in the towns with the most jobs stating pay: Long Beach ($155k) and Hawthorne ($130k). The town table lists 2.
Which employers in California pay materials engineers and chemists the most?
Among employers stating a rate on at least three open jobs here: Relativity Space ($155k), SpaceX ($130k) and Northrop Grumman ($118k).
How does California compare with the rest of the country?
The posted median in California ($153k) is $2.5k above the national posted median of $150k.
Where do these figures come from?
From the pay open jobs state, read every night from each employer's own job board: 26 of 30 open materials engineer jobs in California (87%) state pay. No pay is estimated for a job that states none; "up to" ceilings and weekly travel rates are left out.
Materials engineer pay in other states
Sources and method
Cite this page
SpaceJobs.Now. (2026). Materials engineer salary in California. Data as of 7 Nov 2026. https://spacejobs.now/salaries/materials-engineers/california