Side-by-side distribution
Materials Engineer
$155,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 48.4%
- Live roles
- 64
Structural Engineer
$127,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 31.1%
- Live roles
- 244
Highest-paying jobs
Principal Nuclear Materials Engineer
Materials & Processes Engineer
Senior Materials Engineer, Ceramic Fabrication
Senior Materials Engineer, Diagnostics
Senior Materials Engineer, Dielectrics
Staff Materials & Processes Engineer, Structural Composites
Materials Engineer
Materials Engineer
Research Engineer, Materials Science
Senior Materials Engineer (Metal 3D Printing)
Highest-paying jobs
Structural Engineer (Contract)
Structural Engineer - AI Trainer
CNC / Structural Steel Processing Engineer
Structural Engineer, Buildings
Senior Structural & Mechanical Engineer
Staff Materials & Processes Engineer, Structural Composites
Structural/Civil Engineer - Natural Gas Power Projects
Principal Mechanical Engineer – Structural and Vibration Analyst
Lead Structural Engineer - Building Design
Senior Engineer - Structural - Mi-Tech Services, Inc.
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
SpaceX
|
$108,750 | 6 |
|
Helion
|
$200,000 | 5 |
Anduril Industries
|
$170,000 | 5 |
|
Relativity Space
|
$155,000 | 3 |
|
Neuralink
|
$116,900 | 2 |
|
Archer
|
$232,500 | 1 |
| DE DeepMind | $171,500 | 1 |
|
Freeform
|
$162,500 | 1 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| MC Michels Corporation | $147,500 | 11 |
| DG DLR Group | $118,768 | 8 |
Entuitive
|
$86,500 | 8 |
LaBella Associates
|
$83,500 | 5 |
Brindleyengineering
|
$120,000 | 4 |
|
Fluidstack
|
$212,000 | 3 |
|
Relativity Space
|
$150,500 | 2 |
|
Olsson
|
$142,250 | 2 |
Materials Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $132,500 | 3 |
Materials Engineer vs Structural Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Materials Engineer is $155,000 per year (typically $108,750–$170,750), versus $127,500 for Structural Engineer ($108,375–$154,500). That puts Materials Engineer about 22% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Materials Engineer and Structural Engineer are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.