SOC 17-2131 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Materials Engineers — Wisconsin
Wisconsin · 2 metro areas compared
The median wage for Materials Engineers in Wisconsin is $96,210 per year, 14.8% below the national median of $112,860.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Materials Engineers in Wisconsin is $96,210 per year, 14.8% below the national median of $112,860. Pay ranges from under $65,160 at the tenth percentile to more than $127,820 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $76,330 to $109,610.
Employment stands at 280, or 0.1 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 45 states with published data for this occupation, Wisconsin ranks 38th by median wage. Madison leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $111,050. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 99th of 728 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $65,160 | −42.3% |
| 25th | $76,330 | −32.4% |
| Median (50th) | $96,210 | −14.8% |
| 75th | $109,610 | −2.9% |
| 90th | $127,820 | +13.3% |
| Mean | $95,180 | −15.7% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Wisconsin
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Wisconsin run 5.9% below the national average, so the median of $96,210 goes as far as $102,242 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 9.4% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$96,210as reported by BLSLocal price level
94.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$102,242US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $96,210 a year, 14.8% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $65,160 to $127,820 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 280 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 38th of 45 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Madison, at $111,050.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Materials Engineers in Wisconsin?
The median annual wage is $96,210, or $46.25 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 Wisconsin is 14.8% 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 Wisconsin earns more than $127,820 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $65,160 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.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Madison, at $111,050 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 280 jobs in this occupation in Wisconsin. 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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