Salary guide, May 2025
Polymer / Plastics Engineer pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Materials Engineers in the United States was $112,860 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $88,080 and $142,720.
Broader occupation · SOC 17-2131 Materials Engineers
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $72,300 | $88,080 | $112,860 | $142,720 | $175,720 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $34.76 | $42.35 | $54.26 | $68.61 | $84.48 |
BLS estimated 22,770 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2131 Materials Engineers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $96,740 | $75,960 to $126,280 | 130 | 0.32 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $100,850 | $81,910 to $123,550 | 110 | 0.54 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $138,430 | $118,830 to $138,430 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $104,310 | $86,400 to $128,040 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $147,490 | $104,820 to $162,770 | 330 | 0.23 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $147,490 | $104,820 to $162,770 | 330 | 0.23 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $117,700 | $100,310 to $161,940 | 440 | 0.74 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $99,590 | $76,220 to $136,520 | 250 | 0.38 |
Rank every metro for Polymer / Plastics Engineer
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels.
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing$132,390
- Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing$130,090
- Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing$128,860
- Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing$127,190
- Transportation Equipment Manufacturing$125,190
- Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)$118,460
- Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing$114,970
- Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing$114,100
- Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing$114,100
- Chemical Manufacturing$113,070
- Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing$110,620
- Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)$108,930
- Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing$107,480
- Manufacturing$107,440
- Motor Vehicle Manufacturing$106,510
Bars show up to 15 industries with exact annual medians. The table lists every published industry.
| NAICS | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 11,400 | $86,640 | $107,440 | $137,130 |
| 336000 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 4,130 | $96,960 | $125,190 | $156,130 |
| 336400 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 2,920 | $107,440 | $132,390 | $163,250 |
| 331000 | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 1,510 | $75,910 | $95,830 | $116,460 |
| 334000 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 1,380 | $94,970 | $114,970 | $143,860 |
| 333000 | Machinery Manufacturing | 860 | $85,030 | $105,000 | $133,720 |
| 332000 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 780 | $76,050 | $95,060 | $125,820 |
| 334400 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 700 | $94,920 | $110,620 | $138,490 |
| 326000 | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 610 | $81,640 | $101,290 | $123,840 |
| 331100 | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 590 | $76,250 | $100,080 | $132,890 |
| 334500 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 570 | $103,530 | $127,190 | $164,370 |
| 339000 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 560 | $83,310 | $103,650 | $130,380 |
| 3330A1 | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 550 | $87,610 | $108,930 | $133,720 |
| 336300 | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 510 | $75,480 | $86,370 | $106,920 |
| 331400 | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 460 | $73,750 | $82,720 | $112,140 |
| 325000 | Chemical Manufacturing | 440 | $95,300 | $113,070 | $139,320 |
| 335000 | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 430 | $85,990 | $99,860 | $134,110 |
| 339100 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 410 | $82,690 | $103,650 | $130,060 |
| 335900 | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 360 | $85,990 | $98,940 | $135,190 |
| 3320A1 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 350 | $82,190 | $103,040 | $129,570 |
| 326100 | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 340 | $79,520 | $96,820 | $115,900 |
| 336100 | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 340 | $85,950 | $106,510 | $131,460 |
| 326200 | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 270 | $86,740 | $103,190 | $126,930 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 250 | $92,940 | $114,100 | $133,630 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 250 | $92,940 | $114,100 | $133,630 |
| 3250A1 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 240 | $93,950 | $118,460 | $147,760 |
| 3320A2 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 210 | $78,910 | $94,990 | $108,230 |
| 331300 | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 170 | $79,270 | $97,610 | $99,640 |
| 331500 | Foundries | 170 | $71,400 | $90,210 | $112,280 |
| 339900 | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 150 | $83,310 | $107,480 | $142,940 |
| 3250A2 | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 140 | $97,730 | $102,570 | $123,030 |
| 322000 | Paper Manufacturing | 130 | $92,160 | $98,090 | $125,170 |
| 331200 | Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 130 | $87,770 | $99,860 | $122,670 |
| 332800 | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 130 | $65,140 | $76,130 | $111,600 |
| 324000 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 110 | $72,140 | $105,140 | $135,670 |
| 324100 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 110 | $72,140 | $105,140 | $135,670 |
| 333300 | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 110 | $81,740 | $98,390 | $105,000 |
| 333600 | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 110 | $91,640 | $128,860 | $138,660 |
| 334100 | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 110 | $65,760 | $67,090 | $84,640 |
| 333500 | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 100 | $73,080 | $83,090 | $111,380 |
| 322200 | Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 90 | $98,090 | $98,090 | $105,850 |
| 332700 | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 80 | $69,990 | $79,520 | $99,600 |
| 325400 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 60 | $104,110 | $130,090 | $137,190 |
| 335300 | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 60 | $95,570 | $101,230 | $116,960 |
| 313000 | Textile Mills | 50 | $78,060 | $91,550 | $113,070 |
| 332720 | Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 50 | $73,860 | $78,890 | $111,040 |
| 337000 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 50 | $66,930 | $83,560 | $89,810 |
| 3370A1 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 50 | $66,930 | $75,690 | $88,120 |
| 311000 | Food Manufacturing | 40 | $49,050 | $49,120 | $102,170 |
| 322100 | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 40 | $83,500 | $94,580 | $186,230 |
| 336900 | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 40 | $59,720 | $76,640 | $92,470 |
| 313200 | Fabric Mills | 30 | $83,640 | $105,050 | $135,990 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Polymer / Plastics Engineer, clarify the base pay before discussing call-outs, travel or extra shifts. OEWS includes base rate, guaranteed pay and production incentive pay. It excludes overtime premium, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure.
Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $85,820 | $108,310 | $138,370 |
| May 2025 | $88,080 | $112,860 | $142,720 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about the authority you are offering?
Settle materials judgment rather than ownership of every molding setup before outreach begins. We put the difference around materials judgment rather than ownership of every molding setup in front of you so the interview tests missing experience rather than assuming it is already there.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a Polymer / Plastics Engineer?
The median annual wage for Materials Engineers in the United States was $112,860 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $88,080 and $142,720. This is the broader occupation BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $72,300. 90% earned less than $175,720.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a Polymer / Plastics Engineer at a plant?
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 22,770 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
What does this data mean for your opening?
Manufacturing Headhunters interprets the polymer/plastics engineer role through the BLS Materials Engineers classification. The national median is $112,860, with a $4,550 median change since May 2024. The middle band width is $54,640, spanning from a P25 of $88,080 to a P75 of $142,720.
These statistics encompass all materials-focused engineers, and they do not isolate the specific expertise required for polymer processing.
National industry statistics provide a clearer view for specific sectors. Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing shows a median of $132,390. The Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing sector records $130,090, while Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing reports $128,860. BLS data omits common rewards like patent bonuses and specialized processing-related project incentives.
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim reports a $125,200 median with a 1.37 location quotient, while the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro shows $111,480 with a 2.58 quotient. The higher location quotient in Boston suggests a denser market for materials engineers in that hub. These metrics are confined to the broad Materials Engineer SOC, providing only a generalized market anchor.
Candidate screening involves more than general materials knowledge. We evaluate a candidate's ability to conduct failure analysis that links specific material additive issues or moisture levels to end-product performance. This requires deep materials judgment, which we prefer over candidates who only show experience in the mechanics of running molding setups without understanding the underlying material behavior.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
Why is the median for this role $112,860?
The BLS calculates this median for all Materials Engineers. It is a broad category that includes many disciplines outside of specific polymer and plastics engineering.
What is the limitation of the $142,720 P75 figure?
The P75 value reflects the broad Materials Engineer group. It doesn't capture the proven pay for polymer engineers in specialized manufacturing fields like aerospace or pharmaceuticals.
How do you distinguish between materials judgment and molding setup experience?
Materials judgment is the ability to troubleshoot failure modes through an understanding of chemistry and processing. Molding setup experience is limited to machine operation and configuration.
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