Quick answer:Materials Engineers in the San Francisco area earn a median $129,480 per year, above the national median of $112,860, and the metro employs about 340 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Materials Engineering Pay in San Francisco, CA
Metric
San Francisco metro
California
National
Median annual wage
$129,480
$128,470
$112,860
10th percentile
$80,050
$82,460
$72,300
25th percentile
$97,560
$103,250
$88,080
75th percentile
$160,540
$157,980
$142,720
90th percentile
$189,230
$183,880
$175,720
Employment
340
3,020
22,770
Location quotient
0.99
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The San Francisco median of $129,480 is above the national median of $112,860, and above the California statewide median of $128,470 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.99 means materials engineers are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Materials engineering demand concentrates around manufacturing, aerospace, energy and defense employers, so it clusters in industrial regions rather than tracking population.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Materials engineering follows the same state-administered Professional Engineer framework as the other disciplines: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience and the PE exam, with many engineers working under what is commonly called the industrial exemption and never licensing. In welding specifically the AWS Certified Welding Engineer credential is an industry certification rather than a state license.
See the California licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state engineering licensing board.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 6 schools
within 197 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
6 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
How much do materials engineers make in San Francisco?
The median annual wage for materials engineers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $129,480, above the national median of $112,860 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many materials engineers work in the San Francisco area?
The San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area employs about 340 materials engineers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do materials engineers in San Francisco need a license?
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Materials engineering follows the same state-administered Professional Engineer framework as the other disciplines: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience and the PE exam, with many engineers working under what is commonly called the industrial exemption and never licensing. In welding specifically the AWS Certified Welding Engineer credential is an industry certification rather than a state license. Confirm current requirements with your state engineering licensing board.
Can I study materials engineering online from San Francisco?
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state engineering licensing board.
Is San Francisco a better market than the rest of California?
The San Francisco metro median is $129,480 against a statewide median of $128,470 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Materials Engineers (SOC 17-2131), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
