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Best states for a materials development engineer
Quoted expert
Vianney Gimenez-Pinto Ph.D
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Job opportunities vary from state to state, and architecture and engineering careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to materials development engineer jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for materials development engineers.This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for materials development engineer jobs.
Washington is the best state for jobs for materials development engineers, and Mississippi is the worst. The most common pay in Washington is $101,445, while the median pay in Mississippi is $65,508.We found that Washington is the best state for materials development engineer jobs, whereas Mississippi is the worst.
10 best states for materials development engineers in 2025
1. Washington
Total materials development engineer jobs: 3,147 Average annual salary: $101,445 Lowest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $134,000 Location Quotient: 2.28
2. Texas
Total materials development engineer jobs: 4,788 Average annual salary: $96,710 Lowest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $126,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
3. Massachusetts
Total materials development engineer jobs: 1,756 Average annual salary: $101,212 Lowest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000 Location Quotient: 1.01
4. New Hampshire
Total materials development engineer jobs: 251 Average annual salary: $104,403 Lowest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $141,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
5. Georgia
Total materials development engineer jobs: 1,999 Average annual salary: $93,455 Lowest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $120,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
6. Tennessee
Total materials development engineer jobs: 989 Average annual salary: $95,176 Lowest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $122,000 Location Quotient: 0.89
7. Florida
Total materials development engineer jobs: 2,922 Average annual salary: $95,942 Lowest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
8. New Mexico
Total materials development engineer jobs: 441 Average annual salary: $91,285 Lowest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $120,000 Location Quotient: 1.19
9. Alaska
Total materials development engineer jobs: 159 Average annual salary: $95,336 Lowest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000 Location Quotient: 1.01
10. North Dakota
Total materials development engineer jobs: 193 Average annual salary: $90,837 Lowest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $116,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
Materials development engineer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a materials development engineer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a materials development engineer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $101,445 | $76,000 | 7,405,743 | 3,147 |
| 2 | Texas | $96,710 | $73,000 | 28,304,596 | 4,788 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $101,212 | $74,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,756 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $104,403 | $76,000 | 1,342,795 | 251 |
| 5 | Georgia | $93,455 | $72,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,999 |
| 6 | Tennessee | $95,176 | $73,000 | 6,715,984 | 989 |
| 7 | Florida | $95,942 | $74,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,922 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $91,285 | $69,000 | 2,088,070 | 441 |
| 9 | Alaska | $95,336 | $75,000 | 739,795 | 159 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $90,837 | $70,000 | 755,393 | 193 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $89,417 | $69,000 | 579,315 | 147 |
| 12 | Kentucky | $92,058 | $71,000 | 4,454,189 | 618 |
| 13 | Vermont | $98,785 | $72,000 | 623,657 | 95 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $90,321 | $70,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,670 |
| 15 | Arizona | $89,098 | $67,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,475 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $87,811 | $65,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,436 |
| 17 | California | $93,920 | $69,000 | 39,536,653 | 7,075 |
| 18 | Maine | $97,247 | $71,000 | 1,335,907 | 85 |
| 19 | Oregon | $93,389 | $69,000 | 4,142,776 | 755 |
| 20 | Nevada | $87,879 | $65,000 | 2,998,039 | 395 |
| 21 | Maryland | $96,402 | $72,000 | 6,052,177 | 898 |
| 22 | Michigan | $83,368 | $63,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,761 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $97,046 | $72,000 | 9,005,644 | 870 |
| 24 | Virginia | $89,872 | $68,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,704 |
| 25 | New York | $93,430 | $69,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,656 |
| 26 | Rhode Island | $87,917 | $65,000 | 1,059,639 | 174 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $89,213 | $68,000 | 4,684,333 | 371 |
| 28 | Connecticut | $91,451 | $67,000 | 3,588,184 | 410 |
| 29 | Alabama | $81,627 | $63,000 | 4,874,747 | 814 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $83,609 | $65,000 | 5,024,369 | 760 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $81,535 | $63,000 | 869,666 | 176 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $81,563 | $66,000 | 1,427,538 | 160 |
| 33 | Delaware | $85,964 | $64,000 | 961,939 | 175 |
| 34 | Montana | $83,997 | $65,000 | 1,050,493 | 111 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $77,643 | $59,000 | 1,815,857 | 219 |
| 36 | Iowa | $78,183 | $60,000 | 3,145,711 | 541 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | $84,490 | $63,000 | 693,972 | 278 |
| 38 | Indiana | $75,580 | $58,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,239 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $74,034 | $57,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,091 |
| 40 | Ohio | $72,265 | $55,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,018 |
| 41 | Utah | $77,442 | $58,000 | 3,101,833 | 515 |
| 42 | Kansas | $75,391 | $58,000 | 2,913,123 | 543 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $78,031 | $60,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,191 |
| 44 | Colorado | $78,977 | $60,000 | 5,607,154 | 839 |
| 45 | Idaho | $78,402 | $59,000 | 1,716,943 | 201 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $61,620 | $48,000 | 1,920,076 | 461 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $62,884 | $48,000 | 3,004,279 | 510 |
| 48 | Illinois | $77,539 | $60,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,236 |
| 49 | Missouri | $70,747 | $55,000 | 6,113,532 | 971 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $75,039 | $57,000 | 3,930,864 | 396 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $65,508 | $50,000 | 2,984,100 | 307 |
Highest paying states for materials development engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. Materials Development Engineer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $101,445 |
| 2 | Texas | $96,710 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $101,212 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $104,403 |
| 5 | Georgia | $93,455 |
| 6 | Tennessee | $95,176 |
| 7 | Florida | $95,942 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $91,285 |
| 9 | Alaska | $95,336 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $90,837 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $89,417 |
| 12 | Kentucky | $92,058 |
| 13 | Vermont | $98,785 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $90,321 |
| 15 | Arizona | $89,098 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $87,811 |
| 17 | California | $93,920 |
| 18 | Maine | $97,247 |
| 19 | Oregon | $93,389 |
| 20 | Nevada | $87,879 |
| 21 | Maryland | $96,402 |
| 22 | Michigan | $83,368 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $97,046 |
| 24 | Virginia | $89,872 |
| 25 | New York | $93,430 |
| 26 | Rhode Island | $87,917 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $89,213 |
| 28 | Connecticut | $91,451 |
| 29 | Alabama | $81,627 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $83,609 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $81,535 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $81,563 |
| 33 | Delaware | $85,964 |
| 34 | Montana | $83,997 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $77,643 |
| 36 | Iowa | $78,183 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | $84,490 |
| 38 | Indiana | $75,580 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $74,034 |
| 40 | Ohio | $72,265 |
| 41 | Utah | $77,442 |
| 42 | Kansas | $75,391 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $78,031 |
| 44 | Colorado | $78,977 |
| 45 | Idaho | $78,402 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $61,620 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $62,884 |
| 48 | Illinois | $77,539 |
| 49 | Missouri | $70,747 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $75,039 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $65,508 |
Expert opinions on the best states for materials development engineers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for materials development engineers to find work opportunities?
Vianney Gimenez-Pinto Ph.D
Assistant Professor of Physics and Chemistry, Lincoln University of Missouri
For a Physics Major interested in research, a straightforward option is to continue working towards a graduate degree (either a Master's or a Ph.D.), obtaining work as a Graduate Research Assistant. The physics community is highly committed to maintaining a well-functioning science and research system in the US. As I mentioned before, Science and Technology are the keys to overcome this crisis. Thus, I cannot imagine that the pandemic will reduce students' opportunities to pursue graduate studies and research. If it does, I expect a collective push to keep science moving forward, rain or shine.
A scientist with completed graduate studies has a variety of available work opportunities both in industry and academia. Graduate school teaches cutting-edge science and requires the student to contribute to the body of scientific knowledge. However, succeeding also involves various soft skills such as project management, resilience, teamwork, unique organizations, science communication skills, etc.
In industry and technology development, STEM Ph.D. s (Physics Included) are valuable due to these soft skills in combination with mathematical reasoning, problem-solving, and critical thinking. In academia, this skill-combo also make them the force behind US scientific discovery and innovation. STEM Ph.D. s can also find jobs as editors for scientific journals, science writers and communicators, scientific consultants, science policy advisors, program managers of science education and diversity initiatives, among others.
Still, a Physics Major does not need to get a graduate degree to get rewarding employment in this economy. A Physics Bachelor's degree can open the door to a science teaching career at the high-school level or work as a professional science tutor. Physics Bachelors can also work as laboratory technicians, code developers, data scientists, science communicators, among other career paths. Last but not least, a Physics Bachelor can start his own tech company and flourish as an entrepreneur.
Materials development engineer best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025