# Materials Engineering

> A program that prepares individuals to apply mathematical and materials science principles to the design, development and operational evaluation of materials and related processes used in manufacturing in a wide variety of settings; the synthesis of new industrial materials, including marrying and bonding composites; analysis of materials requirements and specifications; and related problems of system design dependent on materials factors.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/programs/materials-engineering
- CIP code: 14.18 (Engineering)
- Colleges offering it: 98 at its most common degree level
- Value ranking: https://www.collegesref.com/best-colleges/engineering

## Outcomes by degree level (College Scorecard, 2025)

| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings 1 yr | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median federal debt |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| Certificate | 10 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Associate's | 3 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Bachelor's | 61 | $77,204 | $91,046 | $20,500 |
| Master's | 98 | $104,900 | $119,694 | $24,000 |
| Doctoral | 83 | $150,801 | $128,018 | not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 20 | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Colleges whose graduates earn the most (Bachelor's)

Only programs with at least 10 graduates are listed.

| College | Location | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: |
| [Purdue University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/purdue-university-main-campus-2163) | West Lafayette, IN | $107,557 | $16,974 |
| [University of California-Irvine](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-irvine-uci-2883) | Irvine, CA | $106,547 | not reported |
| [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo-slo-360) | San Luis Obispo, CA | $100,599 | $18,500 |
| [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-main-campus-2956) | Ann Arbor, MI | $98,879 | $20,376 |
| [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign-main-campus-2927) | Champaign, IL | $97,924 | $20,500 |
| [University of Maryland-College Park](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-maryland-college-park-main-campus-2949) | College Park, MD | $97,714 | not reported |
| [Michigan State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/michigan-state-university-1677) | East Lansing, MI | $95,761 | not reported |
| [University of Washington-Seattle](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-washington-seattle-main-campus-3075) | Seattle, WA | $95,314 | $12,841 |
| [Drexel University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/drexel-university-834) | Philadelphia, PA | $94,694 | $31,000 |
| [University of Connecticut](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-connecticut-uconn-2902) | Storrs, CT | $93,464 | not reported |

## Related careers (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk)

- [Architectural and Engineering Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/architectural-and-engineering-managers): $171,270 median pay
- [Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/biofuels-biodiesel-technology-and-product-development-managers): $171,270 median pay
- [Materials Engineers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/materials-engineers): $112,860 median pay
- [Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/engineering-teachers-postsecondary): $109,270 median pay
- [Cost Estimators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/cost-estimators): $78,740 median pay

## More in Engineering

- [Engineering, General](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/engineering-general): 452 colleges
- [Mechanical Engineering](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/mechanical-engineering): 395 colleges
- [Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/electrical-electronics-and-communications-engineering): 387 colleges
- [Computer Engineering](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/computer-engineering): 367 colleges
- [Civil Engineering](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/civil-engineering): 300 colleges
- [Biomedical/Medical Engineering](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/biomedical-medical-engineering): 200 colleges
- [Chemical Engineering](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/chemical-engineering): 182 colleges
- [Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/environmental-environmental-health-engineering): 130 colleges

## Guides on this field

- [How to Compare Colleges by Major: Engineering, STEM, Pre-Med, and Business](https://www.collegesref.com/blog/how-to-compare-colleges-by-major)

## Sources

- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/
- NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/