PublicPay

Materials Engineering federal salary series 0806

Full-time federal employees in the Materials Engineering series earned a median of $150,165 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 37% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $121,932 and $185,036.

Median pay
$150,165
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$121,932–$185,036
25th–75th percentile
Employees
1,185
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
-3.7%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Materials Engineering
All federal (full-time)

What shapes materials engineering pay

The most common grade with published pay is GS-13 (171 employees, median $125,627). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (255 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in Maryland ($179,186) and lowest in Florida ($125,906), a gap that partly reflects locality pay differences. Federal pay depends mostly on grade and step, plus a locality adjustment for where the job is located; see the GS pay scale explainer.

OPM withheld pay for 65% of employees in this series. The figures here describe only employees with published pay; withholding is concentrated in certain agencies (see data coverage).

Materials Engineering pay by grade

Grades with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay. GS grades are listed first; other pay plans follow.

Materials Engineering pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS-13 171 $125,627 $118,237–$136,712
GS-14 101 $160,557 $148,844–$170,289
GS-15 58 $190,526 $180,762–$197,200
ZP-4 31 $176,370 $154,441–$187,093

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Materials Engineering pay by agency

Materials Engineering pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 255 $143,208 $121,526–$170,289
Department of Commerce 78 $167,083 $112,430–$197,200
Nuclear Regulatory Commission 44 $177,497 $158,306–$197,200

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Materials Engineering pay by state

The 6 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Materials Engineering pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Maryland 122 $179,186 $139,039–$197,200
Alabama 77 $133,017 $118,237–$161,555
Ohio 44 $144,466 $121,326–$170,736
Florida 44 $125,906 $114,377–$139,398
Virginia 39 $157,434 $126,023–$180,174
Texas 34 $155,484 $143,208–$178,902

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Compare materials engineering pay across all states and agencies →

Change since September 2025

The median moved −3.7% from $155,870 in September 2025 to $150,165 in September 2026. Headcount went from 1,259 to 1,185 (−5.9%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.

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