California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Materials Engineering: earnings, debt & careers

Materials Engineering graduates of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo earn a median $100,599 four years after graduating ($74,496 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $17,000. That is $8,800 above the U.S. median for Materials Engineering graduates ($91,799 across 34 colleges), and ranks 2nd of 3 California colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$100,599

U.S. median for this major: $91,799.

College Scorecard field of study

Earnings, 1 year after
$74,496

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$17,000

About 17% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $23,492.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$16,665 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $32,265. College Scorecard.

Materials Engineering at California colleges

Every California college we cover that reports Materials Engineering graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1University of California-Irvine$106,547$9,987$14,25187%
2California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo$100,599$17,000$16,66586%
3University of California-Davis$89,983$18,777$14,74186%

6 more California colleges offer Materials Engineering but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Materials Engineering graduates

Cost Estimators

San Luis Obispo area$82,800
California$85,460
U.S.$78,740

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -3.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Architectural and Engineering Managers

San Luis Obispo area$213,070
California$210,280
U.S.$171,270

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.5% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Materials Engineers

California$128,470
U.S.$112,860

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +7.5% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.

What families pay at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Related majors at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Materials Engineering questions

How much do California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Materials Engineering graduates earn?

Materials Engineering graduates of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo earn a median $100,599 four years after graduating and $74,496 one year after. The U.S. median for Materials Engineering graduates across 34 colleges is $91,799.

How much debt do California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Materials Engineering graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Materials Engineering graduates of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is $17,000, about 17% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,492.

Where does California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo rank for Materials Engineering in California?

Of 3 California colleges reporting Materials Engineering graduate earnings, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo ranks 2nd. The highest is University of California-Irvine at $106,547.

What jobs do Materials Engineering graduates get?

A common career is cost estimators, with a median wage of $82,800 in the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA area and $78,740 nationally. Others include architectural and engineering managers and materials engineers.

Is California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo the right fit for your family?

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
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Cite this: “California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Materials Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/majors/materials-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).