Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Materials Scientists actually take home in California?
Progressive (up to 13.3%) — 32.9% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Materials Scientists earning $177,030 in California (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $177,030 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$32,025 | 18.1% |
| California State Income Tax | -$13,116 | 7.4% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$10,453 | 5.9% |
| Medicare | -$2,566 | 1.4% |
| Total Taxes | -$58,162 | 32.9% |
| Take-Home Pay | $118,867 | 67.1% |
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) | $96,050 | -$25,905 | $70,144 | 27.0% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $131,060 | -$39,860 | $91,199 | 30.4% |
| Median (P50) | $177,030 | -$58,162 | $118,867 | 32.9% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $233,890 | -$80,413 | $153,476 | 34.4% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $300,330 | -$110,674 | $189,655 | 36.9% |
A Materials Scientists in California faces a combined 32.9% effective tax rate, taking home $118,867 out of $177,030. The progressive (up to 13.3%) adds $13,116 on top of federal and FICA taxes. In a no-income-tax state, this salary would yield approximately $131,984 — a difference of $13,116/year.
At an effective 32.9% combined tax rate, California takes one of the larger bites out of a Materials Scientists's paycheck. Take-home settles at $118,868 from $177,030 gross after all withholdings.
California uses a progressive state income tax, so brackets escalate as wages rise. For this Materials Scientists salary the state tax works out to $13,117 (7.4% effective) — on top of federal and FICA.
Federal income tax ($32,026) accounts for 55% of the total tax bill — the single largest deduction. FICA adds $13,020 (22%), and state tax the remaining $13,117 (23%).
The state-tax gap is substantial: a Materials Scientists earning this gross in a no-income-tax state would net about $131,984 — an extra $13,117 (11.0%) annually compared with California.
For Materials Scientists after-tax pay, California ranks #1 of 30 states — top quartile. High gross wages or low state-tax burden (or both) drive the strong ranking.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $118,868 net/year works out to $9,906/month or $4,572/bi-weekly for this Materials Scientists in California — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Materials Scientists keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
California ranks #1 out of 30 states for Materials Scientists after-tax take-home pay.
A Materials Scientists in California earning a median salary of $177,030 will take home approximately $118,867 per year after federal income tax ($32,025), state income tax ($13,116), and FICA ($13,020). That is $9,905 per month or $4,571 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Materials Scientists in California is 32.9%, broken down as: federal income tax 18.1%, California state tax 7.4%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.4%. 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 $177,030, the state income tax amounts to $13,116 per year, which is an effective state rate of 7.4%.
After all taxes, a Materials Scientists in California takes home approximately $9,905 per month, or about $57.15 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 2025 BLS median salary of $177,030 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 — $118,867/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
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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