Average Materials Engineer Salary in Antigua and Barbuda for 2026
A materials engineer in Antigua and Barbuda earns about 50,020 XCD a year. That's 9% below the national average of 55,220 XCD.
Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in Antigua and Barbuda sit around 22,420 XCD a year, while the very top stretches to 79,240 XCD. Everything on this page is in Eastern Caribbean dollar (XCD, symbol $), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.
The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in Antigua and Barbuda, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.
How much does a materials engineer make in Antigua and Barbuda?
A typical materials engineer working in Antigua and Barbuda brings home around 4,168 XCD a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 22,420 XCD, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 79,240 XCD for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.
The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior materials engineer working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around. For a cross-country comparison, see the materials engineer salary in Grenada or Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, both of which pay in the same currency.
How materials engineer pay ranges in Antigua and Barbuda
A good way to think about salary in Antigua and Barbuda is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all materials engineers in Antigua and Barbuda earn less than 54,180 XCD a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".
Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 34,960 XCD (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 70,600 XCD (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of materials engineers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.
The very lowest reported salaries sit around 22,420 XCD. The highest stretch to 79,240 XCD, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.
Materials engineer pay by experience in Antigua and Barbuda
Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a materials engineer in Antigua and Barbuda, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical materials engineer salary changes as you move through the career ladder.
- 0-2 Years27,040 XCD
- 2-5 Years+31% from previous35,300 XCD
- 5-10 Years+48% from previous52,180 XCD
- 10-15 Years+20% from previous62,460 XCD
- 15-20 Years+10% from previous68,900 XCD
- 20+ Years+5% from previous72,540 XCD
The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 48%. That is the point at which a materials engineer typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.
Materials engineer pay by education in Antigua and Barbuda
Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving materials engineer pay in Antigua and Barbuda. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.
Below is the average materials engineer salary in Antigua and Barbuda broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.
- Bachelor's Degree31,660 XCD
- Master's Degree+86% from previous58,860 XCD
Materials engineer gender pay gap in Antigua and Barbuda
The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and Antigua and Barbuda is no exception. Male materials engineers in Antigua and Barbuda earn an average of 53,160 XCD a year, while female materials engineers earn around 43,800 XCD. That works out to a 21% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.
A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.
Materials Engineer gender pay gap
18%
Men earn this much more than women on average in Antigua and Barbuda.
Pay raises for a materials engineer in Antigua and Barbuda
Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.
A typical worker doing this role in Antigua and Barbuda sees a raise of about 7% every 29 months, which works out to roughly 3% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.
Across all jobs in Antigua and Barbuda, the national average raise is around 4% every 29 months.
By industry
Industries with the highest pay raises in Antigua and Barbuda:
- Banking
- Energy
- Information Technology
- Healthcare
- Travel
- Construction
- Education
By experience level
Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.
- Junior Level3% - 5%
- Mid-Career
- Senior Level
- Top Management
Materials engineer bonus rates in Antigua and Barbuda
Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.
41% of materials engineers in Antigua and Barbuda reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a materials engineer a low-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.
Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 2% to 7% of base salary. The remaining 59% of materials engineers reported no bonus at all over the same period.
Which careers pay bonuses in Antigua and Barbuda
Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.
- Finance
- Architecture
- Sales
- Business Development
- Marketing / Advertising
- Information Technology
- Healthcare
- Insurance
- Customer Service
- Human Resources
- Construction
- Transport
- Hospitality
Materials engineer: public vs private sector pay
Public-sector pay in Antigua and Barbuda is about 20% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.
Public vs private pay gap
17%
Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in Antigua and Barbuda on average.
Materials Engineer in Antigua and Barbuda: FAQs
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How much does a materials engineer make per month in Antigua and Barbuda?
A materials engineer in Antigua and Barbuda earns about 4,168 XCD a month before tax, based on an annual average of 50,020 XCD.
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What's the salary range for a materials engineer in Antigua and Barbuda?
Entry-level materials engineers in Antigua and Barbuda start near 22,420 XCD. Top-end pay reaches around 79,240 XCD. The middle 50% of earners sit between 34,960 and 70,600 XCD.
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Is the median materials engineer salary in Antigua and Barbuda higher or lower than the average?
The median is 54,180 XCD, higher than the average of 50,020 XCD. Half of materials engineers in Antigua and Barbuda earn below the median, half earn above it.
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What's the gender pay gap for materials engineers in Antigua and Barbuda?
Men working as a materials engineer in Antigua and Barbuda earn around 21% more than women on average (53,160 vs 43,800 XCD a year).
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Do materials engineers in Antigua and Barbuda get bonuses?
About 41% of materials engineers in Antigua and Barbuda reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 2% to 7% of base salary.
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Do materials engineers earn more in the public or private sector in Antigua and Barbuda?
In Antigua and Barbuda, the public sector pays a materials engineer about 20% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.
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How often do materials engineers in Antigua and Barbuda get a pay raise?
A materials engineer in Antigua and Barbuda sees a raise of around 7% every 29 months, equivalent to roughly 3% a year.