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The average salary for a metallurgist is approximately $83,962 per year. This figure translates to about $40 per hour, reflecting the expertise and responsibility associated with this profession. Salaries can vary widely based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific sector of employment.
Geographical location significantly impacts salaries. For instance, states like California and Texas offer some of the highest salaries for metallurgists, often exceeding the national average. In contrast, states with lower costs of living may present lower salary figures.
Entry-level metallurgists typically earn less, with salaries increasing significantly with experience. Senior metallurgists and those in managerial roles can earn substantially more, reflecting their advanced skills and responsibilities within the industry.
Metallurgists find opportunities in various industries, including aerospace, automotive, and materials science. As technology advances, the demand for skilled metallurgists continues to grow, enhancing job prospects and salary potential.
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| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level metallurgist | $89,700 | $43.12 |
| Mid-level metallurgist | $103,000 | $49.68 |
| Senior-level metallurgist | $117,000 | $56.23 |
The average metallurgist salary in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maryland are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average metallurgist salary states are Kansas, Mississippi, and Missouri.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $100,231 | $48.19 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $99,446 | $47.81 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $90,917 | $43.71 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $91,591 | $44.03 |
| 5 | Arizona | $89,546 | $43.05 |
| 6 | Vermont | $93,556 | $44.98 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $87,894 | $42.26 |
| 8 | Michigan | $85,566 | $41.14 |
| 9 | Maryland | $97,748 | $46.99 |
| 10 | California | $92,731 | $44.58 |
| 11 | Washington | $91,608 | $44.04 |
| 12 | Oregon | $88,852 | $42.72 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $89,855 | $43.20 |
| 14 | Maine | $91,219 | $43.86 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $83,369 | $40.08 |
| 16 | South Carolina | $85,278 | $41.00 |
| 17 | Kentucky | $85,738 | $41.22 |
| 18 | New York | $94,829 | $45.59 |
| 19 | Utah | $84,981 | $40.86 |
| 20 | Colorado | $89,241 | $42.90 |
| 21 | Virginia | $92,027 | $44.24 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $85,946 | $41.32 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $86,682 | $41.67 |
| 24 | Texas | $86,761 | $41.71 |
| 25 | Delaware | $86,296 | $41.49 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $82,136 | $39.49 |
| 27 | Alabama | $80,990 | $38.94 |
| 28 | Ohio | $79,795 | $38.36 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $86,311 | $41.50 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $80,434 | $38.67 |
| 31 | Nevada | $81,871 | $39.36 |
| 32 | Illinois | $81,346 | $39.11 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $77,643 | $37.33 |
| 34 | Alaska | $83,406 | $40.10 |
| 35 | District of Columbia | $85,912 | $41.30 |
| 36 | New Jersey | $83,654 | $40.22 |
| 37 | Georgia | $79,408 | $38.18 |
| 38 | Indiana | $73,268 | $35.23 |
| 39 | Idaho | $75,851 | $36.47 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $77,294 | $37.16 |
| 41 | Iowa | $75,851 | $36.47 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $71,551 | $34.40 |
| 43 | Montana | $77,922 | $37.46 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $69,223 | $33.28 |
| 45 | Kansas | $72,816 | $35.01 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $75,235 | $36.17 |
| 47 | Florida | $76,004 | $36.54 |
| 48 | Missouri | $69,387 | $33.36 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $76,491 | $36.77 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $60,881 | $29.27 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $59,585 | $28.65 |
The highest-paying cities for metallurgists are Auburn, NY, Seattle, WA, and South Gate, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auburn, NY | $92,994 | $44.71 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $92,235 | $44.34 |
| 3 | South Gate, CA | $91,790 | $44.13 |
| 4 | Reading, PA | $91,654 | $44.06 |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | $89,669 | $43.11 |
| 6 | Englewood, CO | $89,261 | $42.91 |
| 7 | Portland, OR | $87,885 | $42.25 |
| 8 | Houston, TX | $86,867 | $41.76 |
| 9 | Redford, MI | $85,916 | $41.31 |
| 10 | Midvale, UT | $84,983 | $40.86 |
| 11 | Anchorage, AK | $84,496 | $40.62 |
| 12 | Youngstown, OH | $81,395 | $39.13 |
| 13 | Charlotte, NC | $80,893 | $38.89 |
| 14 | Decatur, AL | $79,173 | $38.06 |
| 15 | Memphis, TN | $77,757 | $37.38 |
| 16 | Indianapolis, IN | $73,046 | $35.12 |
| 17 | Columbus, MS | $70,487 | $33.89 |
A metallurgist's salary ranges from $61,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $115,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $115,000 | $9,583 | $55 |
| 75th Percentile | $99,000 | $8,250 | $48 |
| Average | $83,962 | $6,997 | $40 |
| 25th Percentile | $71,000 | $5,917 | $34 |
| 10th Percentile | $61,000 | $5,083 | $29 |
The highest paying types of metallurgists are senior materials engineer, glass science engineer, and corrosion engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corrosion Engineer | $99,156 | $8,263 | $47.67 | 21,942 |
| Welding Engineer | $84,923 | $7,077 | $40.83 | 39,405 |
| Materials Research Engineer | $87,100 | $7,258 | $41.87 | 82,912 |
| Materials Process Engineer | $90,788 | $7,566 | $43.65 | 79,795 |
| Material Engineer | $86,258 | $7,188 | $41.47 | 89,717 |
| Metallurgical Engineer | $82,916 | $6,910 | $39.86 | 34,491 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for metallurgists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Sanchari Chowdhury Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Top companies hiring metallurgists now:
Metallurgist salaries at Technip USA Corporation and Valero Energy are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average metallurgist salary at companies like NOV and Dana Incorporated are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technip USA Corporation | $109,943 | $52.86 |
| 2 | Valero Energy | $104,842 | $50.40 |
| 3 | NOV | $100,968 | $48.54 |
| 4 | Dana Incorporated | $100,194 | $48.17 |
| 5 | Meritor | $98,466 | $47.34 |
| 6 | General Electric | $97,575 | $46.91 |
| 7 | Gopher Resource | $95,821 | $46.07 |
| 8 | American Axle & Manufacturing | $95,314 | $45.82 |
| 9 | Kaiser Aluminum | $94,981 | $45.66 |
| 10 | BASF | $92,761 | $44.60 |
| 11 | Targa Resources | $91,450 | $43.97 |
| 12 | Gränges | $91,058 | $43.78 |
| 13 | M3 Engineering & Technology | $90,870 | $43.69 |
| 14 | Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas | $90,677 | $43.59 |
| 15 | Amber Kinetics | $90,667 | $43.59 |
| 16 | Element Materials Technology | $90,638 | $43.58 |
| 17 | Barrick Goldstrike Mines Inc | $90,637 | $43.58 |
| 18 | Huntington Alloys Corporation | $90,637 | $43.58 |
| 19 | Divergent | $90,637 | $43.58 |
| 20 | Allied Gold | $90,637 | $43.58 |
The average metallurgist salary has risen by $9,736 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average metallurgist earned $74,226 annually, but today, they earn $83,962 a year. That works out to a 2% change in pay for metallurgists over the last decade.
Compare metallurgist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare metallurgist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $84,000 | $40.37 | +2.4% |
| 2025 | $82,000 | $39.40 | +1.0% |
| 2024 | $81,100 | $38.99 | -2.4% |
| 2023 | $83,100 | $39.93 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $81,900 | $39.38 | +2.1% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top Prospect Group | Plant Metallurgist | Conway, SC | 06/27/2025 | $120,000 |
| Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc. | Senior Metallurgist | Boone, CO | 06/17/2025 | $101,000 |
| Howmet Holdings Corporation | Metallurgist | Rochester, NY | 06/10/2025 | $80,000 |
| Howmet Aerospace | Metallurgist | Rochester, NY | 05/27/2025 | $80,000 |
| Actalent | Metallurgist | Columbus, OH | 05/26/2025 | $90,000 |
| Actalent | Metallurgist | Dover, NJ | 05/24/2025 | $90,000 |
| Adecco Us, Inc. | Process Metallurgist | Chittenango, NY | 05/23/2025 | $90,000 |
| Sifco Industries | Quality Metallurgist | Cleveland, OH | 05/15/2025 | $67,800 |
| Howmet Holdings Corporation | Plant Metallurgist | Dover, NJ | 04/28/2025 | $90,000 |
| Job Listingselement Materials Technology | Metallurgist | Portland, OR | 04/28/2025 | $80,000 |
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