U.S. median for this major: $91,799.
College Scorecard field of study; 17 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 27% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $23,492.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $80,856. College Scorecard.
Lehigh University Materials Engineering: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Fewer than 3 Pennsylvania colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Materials Engineering nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Lehigh University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $16,917 | $69,360 | 1.1 years |
| $30–48k | $17,140 | $70,274 | 1.1 years |
| $48–75k | $18,722 | $76,760 | 1.2 years |
| $75–110k | $22,184 | $90,954 | 1.5 years |
| $110k+ | $48,751 | $199,879 | 3.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (81% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Materials Engineering graduates 4 years after graduating ($97,904) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $62,107 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Materials Engineering at Pennsylvania colleges
Every Pennsylvania college we cover that reports Materials Engineering graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lehigh University | $97,904 | $26,324 | $36,931 | 88% |
| 2 | Drexel University | $94,694 | $31,000 | $38,509 | 78% |
2 more Pennsylvania colleges offer Materials Engineering but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Materials Engineering graduates
Cost Estimators
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -3.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Architectural and Engineering Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.5% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Materials Engineers
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 Lehigh University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Lehigh University
- Acceptance rate: 26% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 88% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $105,584
- Full cost breakdown · all 65 majors · overview
Related majors at Lehigh University
- Mechanical Engineering$96,618
- Electrical Engineering$108,503
Lehigh University Materials Engineering questions
How much do Lehigh University Materials Engineering graduates earn?
Materials Engineering graduates of Lehigh University earn a median $97,904 four years after graduating and $74,971 one year after. The U.S. median for Materials Engineering graduates across 34 colleges is $91,799.
How much debt do Lehigh University Materials Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Materials Engineering graduates of Lehigh University is $26,324, about 27% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,492.
Where does Lehigh University rank for Materials Engineering in Pennsylvania?
Of 2 Pennsylvania colleges reporting Materials Engineering graduate earnings, Lehigh University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Materials Engineering graduates get?
A common career is cost estimators, with a median wage of $76,810 in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ area and $78,740 nationally. Others include architectural and engineering managers and materials engineers.
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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
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Lehigh University Materials Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/lehigh-university/majors/materials-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).