How much does a Materials Scientists actually take home in California?
Progressive (up to 13.3%) — 30.3% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2024 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-04-02
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Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Materials Scientists earning $130,260 in California (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $130,260 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$20,800 | 16.0% |
| California State Income Tax | -$8,767 | 6.7% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$8,076 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$1,888 | 1.4% |
| Total Taxes | -$39,532 | 30.3% |
| Take-Home Pay | $90,727 | 69.7% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Materials Scientists in California.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $80,220 | -$19,739 | $60,480 | 24.6% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $107,870 | -$30,509 | $77,360 | 28.3% |
| Median (P50) | $130,260 | -$39,532 | $90,727 | 30.3% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $162,430 | -$52,706 | $109,723 | 32.4% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $182,160 | -$59,945 | $122,214 | 32.9% |
A Materials Scientists in California faces a combined 30.3% effective tax rate, taking home $90,727 out of $130,260. The progressive (up to 13.3%) adds $8,767 on top of federal and FICA taxes. In a no-income-tax state, this salary would yield approximately $99,494 — a difference of $8,767/year.
Where does a Materials Scientists keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
California ranks #5 out of 26 states for Materials Scientists after-tax take-home pay.
A Materials Scientists in California earning a median salary of $130,260 will take home approximately $90,727 per year after federal income tax ($20,800), state income tax ($8,767), and FICA ($9,964). That is $7,560 per month or $3,489 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Materials Scientists in California is 30.3%, broken down as: federal income tax 16.0%, California state tax 6.7%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
California has a progressive (up to 13.3%). On a Materials Scientists's median salary of $130,260, the state income tax amounts to $8,767 per year, which is an effective state rate of 6.7%.
After all taxes, a Materials Scientists in California takes home approximately $7,560 per month, or about $43.62 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2024 BLS median salary of $130,260 for Materials Scientists in California, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), California state income tax (progressive (up to 13.3%)), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $90,727/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR