What does a Materials Engineers salary really buy you in California?
California is 12.5% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
California's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 112.5, meaning prices are 12.5% higher the national average. A Materials Engineers earning $127,550 in California has the equivalent purchasing power of $113,377 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for California's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $87,070 | $77,395 | $-9,674 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $106,080 | $94,293 | $-11,786 |
| Median (P50) | $127,550 | $113,377 | $-14,172 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $153,110 | $136,097 | $-17,012 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $181,500 | $161,333 | $-20,166 |
While $127,550 sounds high, California's elevated cost of living erases 11% of that salary's purchasing power. Your real buying power is $113,377. Consider whether the higher pay offsets the higher costs.
Where does Materials Engineers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
California ranks #16 out of 46 states for Materials Engineers after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Materials Engineers in California earns a median salary of $127,550 per year. After adjusting for California's cost of living (RPP=112.5), the real purchasing power is $113,377 — a -11.1% difference.
California's cost of living is 12.5% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for California is 112.5 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Materials Engineers in California: $127,550 x (100 / 112.5) = $113,377. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Materials Engineers's nominal salary of $127,550 in California has 11.1% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $113,377. However, California may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.