SOC 19-2032 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Materials Scientists — Virginia
Virginia
The median wage for Materials Scientists in Virginia is $124,150 per year, close to the national median of $117,790 for the same occupation.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Materials Scientists in Virginia is $124,150 per year, close to the national median of $117,790 for the same occupation. Pay ranges from under $63,820 at the tenth percentile to more than $184,840 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $100,930 to $139,840.
Employment stands at 100, or 0.0 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 30 states with published data for this occupation, Virginia ranks 13th by median wage. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 74th of 747 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $63,820 | −45.8% |
| 25th | $100,930 | −14.3% |
| Median (50th) | $124,150 | +5.4% |
| 75th | $139,840 | +18.7% |
| 90th | $184,840 | +56.9% |
| Mean | $124,880 | +6.0% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Virginia sit close to the national average, so $124,150 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$124,150as reported by BLSLocal price level
101.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$122,799US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $124,150 a year, 5.4% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $63,820 to $184,840 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 100 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 13th of 30 states for this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Materials Scientists in Virginia?
The median annual wage is $124,150, or $59.69 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 Virginia is 5.4% higher. 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 Virginia earns more than $184,840 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $63,820 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 100 jobs in this occupation in Virginia. 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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