State comparison · 2025
Materials Engineers salary: California vs New Mexico
Materials Engineers in New Mexico earn a median of $165,600. In California, $128,470. After cost-of-living, the gap is 35.4% — not 22.4%.
Nominal pay gap
-22.4%
California vs New Mexico
COL-adjusted gap
-35.4%
After BEA Regional Price Parities
California
Materials Engineers
- Median
- $128,470
- p25
- $103,250
- p75
- $157,980
- p10
- $82,460
- p90
- $183,880
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 110.7
- Hiring velocity (180d)
- -45%
New Mexico
Materials Engineers
- Median
- $165,600
- p25
- $160,340
- p75
- $197,900
- p10
- $126,640
- p90
- $204,400
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 92.2
- Hiring velocity (180d)
- +171%
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities (overall index). Hiring velocity from DOL OFLC public disclosure data, recent 180 days vs prior. See methodology.