Prevailing Wage for Materials Scientists
Prevailing wage requirements for Materials Scientists are set by DOL across four experience levels, and the floor shifts significantly depending on where the work is performed. Whether your offer is for an Applications Scientist, a Materials Research Engineer, or a polymer or ceramics specialist, the sponsored salary must meet the DOL minimum for your level and worksite city.
See all jobs for Materials ScientistsLook up your work address
Entry-level filing for Materials Scientists with limited professional experience, typically performing defined research tasks under close supervision. Candidates recently completing graduate programs in materials science, metallurgy, or polymer science often fall here.
The most common filing level for Materials Scientists. Covers professionals with a few years of independent research experience who apply standard methodologies, contribute to project design, and work with moderate supervision in lab or applied settings.
For experienced Materials Scientists who lead research initiatives, mentor junior staff, and exercise significant technical judgment. Professionals with specialized expertise in areas such as semiconductor materials or composite development typically qualify at this level.
Senior and principal-level Materials Scientists with broad technical authority, cross-functional leadership, and responsibility for setting research direction. Roles such as R and D Scientist leads or senior metallurgical scientists with organization-wide scope fall here.
Prevailing Wage for Materials Scientists by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
See all jobs for Materials Scientists
See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Materials Scientists and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Materials Scientists
Watch for title aliasing in materials roles
Job titles like Metallurgical Engineer or Materials Research Engineer are sometimes filed under engineering SOC codes rather than SOC 19-2032, which can mean a different prevailing wage floor. Confirm your LCA reflects the correct SOC before accepting any sponsored offer.
Account for semiconductor metro premiums
Materials Scientists in semiconductor-heavy markets such as San Jose and Albany command significantly higher prevailing wages than national figures. If your offer is in a lower-paying metro like College Station or Nashville, verify the worksite city on the LCA matches your actual location.
Exclude equity and bonuses from wage floor calculations
RSUs, signing bonuses, and performance bonuses do not count toward the DOL prevailing wage floor for sponsored positions. For Materials Scientists in startup or FAANG roles where equity is a large share of comp, confirm the base salary alone clears the applicable level.
Find employers who sponsor Materials Scientists on Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate shows which employers have historical H-1B and green card sponsorship records for Materials Scientists and related roles, so you can target companies with a demonstrated track record before applying rather than discovering sponsorship gaps late in the process.
Jobs for Materials Scientists are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Materials ScientistsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 19-2032.00 alongside Materials Scientists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Applications Scientist Prevailing Wage
Applications Scientist Prevailing Wage
Applications Scientist positions fall under SOC 19-2032.00 (Materials Scientists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Materials Research Engineer Prevailing Wage
Materials Research Engineer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Materials Research Engineer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-2032.00 (Materials Scientists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Metallurgical Engineer Prevailing Wage
Metallurgical Engineer Prevailing Wage
Metallurgical Engineer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-2032.00 (Materials Scientists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Micro Electrical/Mechanical Systems Device Scientist (MEMS Device Scientist) Prevailing Wage
Micro Electrical/Mechanical Systems Device Scientist (MEMS Device Scientist) Prevailing Wage
Micro Electrical/Mechanical Systems Device Scientist (MEMS Device Scientist) positions fall under SOC 19-2032.00 (Materials Scientists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Polymer Materials Consultant Prevailing Wage
Polymer Materials Consultant Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Polymer Materials Consultant for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-2032.00 (Materials Scientists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
R and D Scientist (Research and Development Scientist) Prevailing Wage
R and D Scientist (Research and Development Scientist) Prevailing Wage
R and D Scientist (Research and Development Scientist) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-2032.00 (Materials Scientists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Research Scientist Prevailing Wage
Research Scientist Prevailing Wage
Research Scientist positions fall under SOC 19-2032.00 (Materials Scientists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Scientist Prevailing Wage
Scientist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Scientist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-2032.00 (Materials Scientists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Materials Scientists?
DOL calculates prevailing wages for Materials Scientists using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metropolitan areas. The OFLC then publishes four wage levels for each occupation and geography. Employers sponsoring a Materials Scientist on H-1B or PERM must pay at least the DOL-published wage for the applicable level and worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
DOL assigns levels based on experience, supervision, and job complexity. Level 1 covers entry-level roles under close supervision. Level 2 applies to qualified professionals working with moderate independence, and is the most common filing level for Materials Scientists. Level 3 covers experienced specialists with technical leadership responsibilities. Level 4 applies to senior or principal scientists with broad authority. Your employer selects the level on the Labor Condition Application, so reviewing that document confirms which level was filed.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Materials Scientist role differ so much by city?
DOL calculates wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so local labor market conditions directly set the floor. A semiconductor-dense market like San Jose produces far higher survey data than a smaller metro. The LCA rules require employers to use the wage for the specific worksite listed on the application, meaning a remote arrangement with a different work address than the employer's headquarters can shift the applicable floor significantly.
What happens if a sponsored offer is below the prevailing wage for Materials Scientists?
An employer cannot certify a Labor Condition Application with a wage below the DOL prevailing wage for the filed level and worksite. If OFLC discovers a violation, the employer faces back-wage liability, debarment from future sponsorship filings, and civil penalties. For the sponsored employee, a deficient LCA can jeopardize the underlying H-1B petition or PERM application. USCIS adjudicators review LCA wage compliance as part of petition review.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Materials Scientists in a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 19-2032 for any metropolitan area covered by DOL surveys. Enter the occupation code and select the relevant metropolitan statistical area to retrieve all four wage levels. O*NET also provides occupational context for Materials Scientists. To identify which employers have actively sponsored this role and in which locations, Migrate Mate lets you filter sponsored job listings by role and city using historical sponsorship data.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Materials Scientists right now.
Search Jobs for Materials Scientists