SOC 17-2131.00Bright outlook

    Materials Engineers

    Evaluate materials and develop machinery and processes to manufacture materials for use in products that must meet specialized design and performance specifications.

    Median pay
    $112,860
    Growth
    +7.5%
    Faster than average
    Openings a year
    1,300
    Typical education
    Bachelor's degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $72,300
    Median
    $112,860
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $175,720
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    22,770 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Materials engineers design, test, and develop materials like polymers, metals, and ceramics to create new products and manufacturing processes. The career offers strong financial rewards, with a median annual pay of $112,860.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What materials engineers do

    Job Zone 4: Considerable preparation

    Evaluate materials and develop machinery and processes to manufacture materials for use in products that must meet specialized design and performance specifications. Develop new uses for known materials. Includes those engineers working with composite materials or specializing in one type of material, such as graphite, metal and metal alloys, ceramics and glass, plastics and polymers, and naturally occurring materials. Includes metallurgists and metallurgical engineers, ceramic engineers, and welding engineers.

    Most need a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.

    What the work is like

    Materials engineers focus on evaluating substances and developing the machinery or processes needed to manufacture them. Day-to-day activities revolve around getting information, working with computers, and analyzing data to solve complex technical problems. These professionals monitor processes and materials, identify specific objects or events, and document their findings to ensure everything complies with industry standards. They must communicate regularly with supervisors and peers to coordinate their efforts.

    Succeeding in this field requires strong skills in science, mathematics, critical thinking, and reading comprehension. Engineers must be active listeners and clear writers to explain technical concepts. Their work relies heavily on a deep knowledge of engineering, technology, physics, chemistry, and production processes.

    This career strongly appeals to people with realistic interests who enjoy practical, hands-on problem-solving. To do this work well, individuals need specific work styles, including intense attention to detail, innovation, dependability, and intellectual curiosity. They must also balance initiative and achievement with cautiousness and perseverance when testing new material behaviors.

    How to get there

    Entering this career typically requires a bachelor's degree along with several years of related on-the-job experience. Students preparing for this field usually major in materials engineering, polymer and plastics engineering, metallurgical engineering, ceramic sciences and engineering, or textile sciences and engineering.

    While a degree is the primary requirement, professionals can earn specialized credentials to advance their careers. Available certifications include the Certified Materials & Resource Professional from the Association for Healthcare Resource & Materials Management, as well as the Corrosion Technician credential offered by The Association for Materials Protection and Performance. Additionally, some states list licensing requirements for engineers performing this type of work.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for materials engineers is $112,860. Individual earnings vary based on experience and industry, with the lowest 10% earning less than $72,300 and the highest 10% earning more than $175,720.

    There are currently 22,770 people employed in this field. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 7.5%, which is faster than average. This growth is expected to result in approximately 1,300 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    81 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    80 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    26 / 100
    Social (S)
    6 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    18 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    52 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RIC. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Getting Information
    88
    Working with Computers
    87
    Analyzing Data or Information
    84
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    84
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    82
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    81
    Documenting/Recording Information
    79
    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    79
    Processing Information
    78
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    76
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Active Listening
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Critical Thinking
    • Mathematics
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Science
    • Speaking
    • Writing
    • Active Learning
    • Judgment and Decision Making

    Knowledge

    • Engineering and Technology
    • Mathematics
    • Production and Processing
    • Physics
    • English Language
    • Chemistry
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Design
    • Mechanical
    • Education and Training

    Abilities

    • Category Flexibility
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Information Ordering
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Oral Expression
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Written Comprehension
    • Written Expression
    • Mathematical Reasoning

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Innovation
    • Dependability
    • Intellectual Curiosity
    • Cautiousness
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Integrity
    • Perseverance
    • Adaptability
    • Initiative

    Also called

    Automotive Sheet Metal Engineer · Ceramic Design Engineer · Ceramic Engineer · Ceramic Research Engineer · Ceramics Test Engineer · Characterization Engineer · Corrosion Engineer · Extractive Metallurgist · Extrusion Engineer · Failure Analysis Engineer

    Career pathway

    From your interests to materials engineers

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Materials Engineers$112,860 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Purdue University-Main Campus logo
      Purdue University-Main Campus

      West Lafayette, IN · Materials Engineering · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $79,562
      4 yrs after
      $107,557
      Median debt
      $16,974
    2. 2
      University of California-Irvine UCI

      Irvine, CA · Materials Engineering · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $76,070
      4 yrs after
      $106,547
      Median debt
      Not reported
    3. 3California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo SLO logo
      California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo SLO

      San Luis Obispo, CA · Materials Engineering · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $77,737
      4 yrs after
      $100,599
      Median debt
      $18,500
    4. 4
      University of Massachusetts-Lowell

      Lowell, MA · Polymer/Plastics Engineering · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $80,343
      4 yrs after
      $100,428
      Median debt
      $26,945
    5. 5University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus logo
      University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus

      Ann Arbor, MI · Materials Engineering · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $83,880
      4 yrs after
      $98,879
      Median debt
      $20,376
    6. 6University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Main Campus logo
      University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Main Campus

      Champaign, IL · Materials Engineering · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $75,772
      4 yrs after
      $97,924
      Median debt
      $20,500
    7. 7University of Maryland-College Park Main Campus logo
      University of Maryland-College Park Main Campus

      College Park, MD · Materials Engineering · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $74,976
      4 yrs after
      $97,714
      Median debt
      Not reported
    8. 8Michigan State University logo
      Michigan State University

      East Lansing, MI · Materials Engineering · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $80,657
      4 yrs after
      $95,761
      Median debt
      Not reported

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What materials engineers may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Ceramic Sciences and Engineering
    • Materials Engineering
    • Metallurgical Engineering
    • Polymer/Plastics Engineering
    • Textile Sciences and Engineering

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    51 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about materials engineers

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for materials engineers?

    People in this field are also called ceramic design engineers, corrosion engineers, extractive metallurgists, failure analysis engineers, or automotive sheet metal engineers.

    What are some related careers in this field?

    Related careers include materials scientists, chemical engineers, manufacturing engineers, industrial engineers, mechanical engineers, and nanosystems engineers.

    What academic subjects are most important for this career?

    Prospective engineers need strong training in engineering and technology, mathematics, physics, chemistry, computers, and production processing.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.