SOC 19-2032 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Materials Scientists — Michigan
Michigan · 1 metro areas compared
The median wage for Materials Scientists in Michigan is $107,410 per year, 8.8% below the national median of $117,790.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Materials Scientists in Michigan is $107,410 per year, 8.8% below the national median of $117,790. Pay ranges from under $54,240 at the tenth percentile to more than $167,940 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $77,160 to $161,330.
The area has 230 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 0.1 of every thousand jobs. Among the 30 states with published data for this occupation, Michigan ranks 19th by median wage. Detroit leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $107,650. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 74th of 774 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $54,240 | −54.0% |
| 25th | $77,160 | −34.5% |
| Median (50th) | $107,410 | −8.8% |
| 75th | $161,330 | +37.0% |
| 90th | $167,940 | +42.6% |
| Mean | $117,800 | +0.0% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Michigan
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit | $107,650 | 100 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Michigan run 3.8% below the national average, so the median of $107,410 goes as far as $111,653 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 5.2% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$107,410as reported by BLSLocal price level
96.2US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$111,653US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $107,410 a year, 8.8% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $54,240 to $167,940 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 230 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 19th of 30 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Detroit, at $107,650.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Materials Scientists in Michigan?
The median annual wage is $107,410, or $51.64 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 $117,790, so pay in Michigan is 8.8% 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 Michigan earns more than $167,940 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $54,240 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 Detroit, at $107,650 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 230 jobs in this occupation in Michigan. 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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