SOC 17-2131 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Materials Engineers — Providence
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
Median pay for this occupation in Providence, RI is $101,670 a year, trailing the national median of $112,860 by 9.9%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Providence, RI is $101,670 a year, trailing the national median of $112,860 by 9.9%. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $87,180 and $117,570. The lowest tenth earn under $78,270, while the highest tenth earn more than $154,170.
The area has 130 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 1.26 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Of the 601 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 105th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $78,270 | −30.6% |
| 25th | $87,180 | −22.8% |
| Median (50th) | $101,670 | −9.9% |
| 75th | $117,570 | +4.2% |
| 90th | $154,170 | +36.6% |
| Mean | $108,990 | −3.4% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Providence run 2.3% above the national average, so the median of $101,670 buys what $99,384 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 11.9% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$101,670as reported by BLSLocal price level
102.3US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$99,384US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $101,670 a year, 9.9% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $78,270 to $154,170 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 130 jobs in this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Materials Engineers in Providence, RI?
The median annual wage is $101,670, or $48.88 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $112,860, so pay in Providence, RI is 9.9% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Providence, RI earns more than $154,170 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $78,270 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 130 jobs in this occupation in Providence, RI. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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