Develop and test materials used in manufacturing — metals, ceramics, plastics, and composites. Median salary in Arlington: $103K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Arlington, Texas. Reviewed by SalaryOptics Editorial · How we calculate this →
Analysis derived from the salary, COL, tax, and labor-market figures above — specific to this role and city.
Materials Engineers in Arlington earn approximately 5% higher than the US national median for this role — a $5,000 premium on annual base salary. This reflects Arlington's position as a higher-cost labor market where employers must match local wage norms.
Adjusted for Arlington's cost-of-living index (94), the median Materials Engineer salary buys the equivalent of $109,574 in a US-average-cost city. That's $11,574 more purchasing power than the national median — a meaningful real-wage advantage.
Texas has no state income tax, which is worth roughly $9,579 per year at this salary level compared to a California Materials Engineer on the same gross pay. A Arlington Materials Engineer would need to earn $113,561 in California to net the same take-home.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $103K by 2030.
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The median Materials Engineer salary in Arlington, TX is $103,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Arlington–TX metropolitan area, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, H-1B visa disclosures from the Department of Labor, and O*NET occupational data.
Entry-level Materials Engineers in Arlington with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $76,000 and $103,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $103,000 to $134,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $134,000 to $170,000 or more.
Arlington has a cost of living index of 94 compared to the US national average of 100. This means your salary goes approximately 6% further in Arlington than the national average. Crucially, Texas has no state income tax — giving Arlington-based Materials Engineers an immediate 5–7% take-home pay advantage over workers in states like California (9.3%) or New York (6.85%).
Bachelor's in Materials Science or Engineering. 22% of these roles offer some remote flexibility.