SOC 17-2131 · Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro

Materials Engineers Salary in Buffalo, NY

The average salary for materials engineers in Buffalo, New York is $113,270 a year ($54.46 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $106,450: half of the 80 people in this job in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 6% less than the U.S. average for this job ($120,250).

$113,270average per year

$54.46 / hourMedian $106,450Take-home ≈ $82,767

  • $86K10th
  • $88K25th
  • $106KMedian
  • $139K75th
  • $150K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

80people in this job
-6%vs U.S. average
#3 of 4New York metros
96cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Materials Engineers pay range in Buffalo

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $85,970 a year or less, while the top 10% make $149,850 or more. The middle half of materials engineers in Buffalo earn between $88,380 and $138,520.

  • $86K10th
  • $88K25th
  • $106KMedian
  • $139K75th
  • $150K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$113,270$9,439$54.46
Median$106,450$8,871$51.18
Entry level (25th percentile)$88,380$7,365$42.49
Experienced (75th percentile)$138,520$11,543$66.60

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Materials Engineers pay in Buffalo vs. New York and the U.S.

Materials engineers in Buffalo earn 9% less than the New York average ($123,860) and 6% less than the U.S. average ($120,250). At the median the gap is -6% against the U.S. median of $112,860.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Buffalo$113,270$106,450$85,970$149,85080
New York$123,860$125,900$73,920$168,120590
United States$120,250$112,860$72,300$175,72022,770

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Materials Engineers salary after taxes in Buffalo

On the average salary of $113,270, a single filer in Buffalo takes home about $82,767 a year, or $6,897 a month and $3,183 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.

New York paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Buffalo a good place for materials engineers? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Buffalo area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.8), so the average $113,270 buys what about $118,182 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Buffalo ($50,790). A typical home costs $288,316, or 2.5 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $113,270 is worth in another city

Materials Engineers salary in other New York cities

Buffalo ranks 3rd of 4 New York metro areas for this job; New York pays the most ($137,070).

All Materials Engineers salaries in New York

Highest-paying cities for materials engineers

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($156,740).

Materials Engineers salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Materials Engineers in Buffalo, NY.

Materials Engineers salary in Buffalo: questions

How much do materials engineers make an hour in Buffalo?

$54.46 an hour on average, and $51.18 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level materials engineers salary in Buffalo?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $85,970 a year and the 25th percentile is $88,380, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the materials engineers take-home pay in Buffalo?

About $82,767 a year ($6,897 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $113,270. New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.

Do materials engineers earn more in Buffalo than elsewhere?

The average here is 6% less than the U.S. average for this job ($120,250).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-2131; area Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY (15380). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.2%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.97, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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