Materials Engineers in California. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
Salary distribution
Where California materials engineers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $103,250 and $157,980, with a median of $128,470.
Materials Engineers in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 489 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $144,664. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 43 | $95,243 |
| Level II — qualified | 108 | $123,895 |
| Level III — experienced | 192 | $144,664 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 107 | $169,853 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Materials Engineers in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lam Research Corporation | Process Engineer | 65 | $144,664 |
| Apple Inc. | Hardware Development | 62 | $155,251 |
| Western Digital Technologies, Inc. | Staff Engineer, Hardware Development Engineering | 38 | $144,664 |
| Headway Technologies, Inc. | Integration Engineer | 31 | $161,006 |
| Applied Materials, Inc. | Process Engineer | 24 | $158,446 |
| Applied Materials, Inc | Process Engineer | 23 | $163,465 |
| Intel Corporation | Process Engineer | 20 | $144,664 |
| KLA Corporation | Product Development Applications Engineer | 15 | $143,490 |
| Sandisk Technologies, Inc. | Principal Engineer, Product Development Engineering | 12 | $163,031 |
| ASML US, LP | Senior Materials and Conditioning Engineer 1 | 7 | $144,664 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Process Engineer at Applied Materials, Inc$190,000Santa ClaraWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-729246
- Optical Science Engineering at Apple Inc.$181,100CupertinoWage Level IVDecided Mar 31, 2026I-200-26083-724710
- Staff Engineer, R&D Engineering at Western Digital Technologies, Inc.$134,800San JoseWage Level IIDecided Mar 27, 2026I-200-26079-718874
- Process Engineer 4 at MATTSON TECHNOLOGY, INC.$138,258FremontWage Level IIIDecided Mar 27, 2026I-200-26079-720213
- Staff Engineer, R&D Engineering at Western Digital Technologies, Inc.$134,800San JoseWage Level IIDecided Mar 27, 2026I-200-26079-718905
- Entry-Level Scientist at Leland Stanford Jr. Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab$117,357Menlo ParkWage Level IIDecided Mar 27, 2026I-200-26079-719903
- SMTS, Catholyte Engineer at QuantumScape Battery, Inc.$155,251San JoseWage Level IIIDecided Mar 26, 2026I-200-26078-716388
- Process Engineer at Applied Materials, Inc.$152,841Santa ClaraDecided Mar 25, 2026I-200-26077-713949
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Materials Engineers pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Materials Engineers specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 274 certified offers. The most common variant is Process Engineer at a median of $149,367.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Process Engineer | Lam Research Corporation | 113 | $149,367 |
| Staff Engineer, Hardware Development Engineering | Western Digital Technologies, Inc. | 66 | $144,664 |
| Product Engineer | Lam Research Corporation | 24 | $144,664 |
| Materials Engineer | Apple Inc. | 17 | $141,000 |
| Product Development Applications Engineer | KLA Corporation | 11 | $131,706 |
| Application Engineer | Applied Materials, Inc. | 9 | $138,450 |
| Hardware Development | Apple Inc. | 7 | $164,294 |
| Materials Engineering | Apple Inc. | 6 | $181,100 |
| Reliability Engineering | Apple Inc. | 6 | $139,500 |
| Integration Engineer | Headway Technologies, Inc. | 5 | $155,000 |
| I&S Process/Equipment Development Engineer | Apple Inc. | 5 | $144,664 |
| Postdoctoral Research Affiliate | The Leland Stanford, Jr University | 5 | $74,606 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Materials Engineers in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 488 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Manufacturing leads with a median of $145,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | Lam Research Corporation | 405 | $145,000 |
| Professional services | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | 46 | $119,496 |
| Education | The Leland Stanford, Jr University | 14 | $75,482 |
| Technology and software | Google LLC | 12 | $185,000 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 6 | $106,998 |
| Energy and utilities | CAM Industrial Solutions LLC | 4 | $144,300 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Open Avenues Foundation | 1 | $131,706 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.3 / 5
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Chemistry
Knowledge
- 4.2 / 5
Physics
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Production and Processing
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Mathematics
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Active Listening
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Science
Basic skill
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Analyze product failure data and laboratory test results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions.
- 02
Design and direct the testing or control of processing procedures.
- 03
Monitor material performance, and evaluate its deterioration.
- 04
Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality.
- 05
Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.
- 06
Modify properties of metal alloys, using thermal and mechanical treatments.
- 07
Guide technical staff in developing materials for specific uses in projected products or devices.
- 08
Determine appropriate methods for fabricating and joining materials.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+5.7%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for materials engineers in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Jose$156,730
- Sacramento$130,040
- San Francisco$129,480
- Los Angeles$125,200
- San Diego$124,180
- Riverside$109,100
Compare Materials Engineers pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare California with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Materials Engineers in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Materials Engineers in California is $128,470.
- How does California compare to the national median for Materials Engineers?
- The California median is +12.2% versus the BLS national figure of $114,537.
- What is the salary range for Materials Engineers in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $82,460 and the 90th-percentile at $183,880, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Materials Engineers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 5.7% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Materials Engineers?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.