U.S. median for this major: $91,799.
College Scorecard field of study; 33 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 20% 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 $24,591. College Scorecard.
PU Materials Engineering: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Fewer than 3 Indiana 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 PU'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 | $5,098 | $21,717 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $6,241 | $26,587 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $9,438 | $40,206 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $18,177 | $77,434 | 1.1 years |
| $110k+ | $22,742 | $96,881 | 1.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (64% 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 ($107,557) minus $35,534 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $72,023 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.
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 PU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About PU
- Acceptance rate: 50% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 83% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $72,424
- Full cost breakdown · all 112 majors · overview
Related majors at PU
- Mechanical Engineering$102,572
- Construction Engineering$101,108
- Electrical Engineering$105,396
PU Materials Engineering questions
How much do PU Materials Engineering graduates earn?
Materials Engineering graduates of Purdue University earn a median $107,557 four years after graduating and $78,265 one year after. The U.S. median for Materials Engineering graduates across 34 colleges is $91,799.
How much debt do PU Materials Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Materials Engineering graduates of Purdue University is $21,335, about 20% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,492.
Where does PU rank for Materials Engineering in Indiana?
Of 1 Indiana colleges reporting Materials Engineering graduate earnings, Purdue University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Materials Engineering graduates get?
A common career is cost estimators, with a median wage of $74,820 in the Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN 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: “Purdue University Materials Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/purdue-university-main-campus/majors/materials-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).