U.S. median for this major: $91,799.
College Scorecard field of study; 24 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 28% 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 $82,404. College Scorecard.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Materials Engineering: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Fewer than 3 New York 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 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute'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 | $24,078 | $100,164 | 2.1 years |
| $30–48k | $26,289 | $109,362 | 2.3 years |
| $48–75k | $28,212 | $117,362 | 2.4 years |
| $75–110k | $36,230 | $150,717 | 3.1 years |
| $110k+ | $42,541 | $176,971 | 3.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (71% 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 ($82,947) minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $48,314 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 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Acceptance rate: 63% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 84% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $102,051
- Full cost breakdown · all 45 majors · overview
Related majors at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Mechanical Engineering$92,952
- Electrical Engineering$104,596
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Materials Engineering questions
How much do Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Materials Engineering graduates earn?
Materials Engineering graduates of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn a median $82,947 four years after graduating and $66,927 one year after. The U.S. median for Materials Engineering graduates across 34 colleges is $91,799.
How much debt do Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Materials Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Materials Engineering graduates of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is $23,250, about 28% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,492.
Where does Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute rank for Materials Engineering in New York?
Of 1 New York colleges reporting Materials Engineering graduate earnings, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Materials Engineering graduates get?
A common career is cost estimators, with a median wage of $81,290 in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 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: “Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Materials Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/rensselaer-polytechnic-institute/majors/materials-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).