State comparison · 2025
Materials Engineers salary: New Mexico vs Virginia
Materials Engineers in New Mexico earn a median of $165,600. In Virginia, $116,720. After cost-of-living, the gap is 55.6% — not 41.9%.
Nominal pay gap
+41.9%
New Mexico vs Virginia
COL-adjusted gap
+55.6%
After BEA Regional Price Parities
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%
Virginia
Materials Engineers
- Median
- $116,720
- p25
- $83,840
- p75
- $137,400
- p10
- $77,490
- p90
- $170,210
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 101.1
- Hiring velocity (180d)
- -50%
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.