University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Materials Engineering: earnings, debt & careers

Materials Engineering graduates of University of Michigan-Ann Arbor earn a median $98,879 four years after graduating ($75,041 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $17,750. That is $7,080 above the U.S. median for Materials Engineering graduates ($91,799 across 34 colleges), and ranks 1st of 3 Michigan colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$98,879

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

College Scorecard field of study; 32 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$75,041

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$17,750

About 18% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $23,492.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$13,138 /yr

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

Sticker price $34,654. College Scorecard.

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Materials Engineering: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor graduates$98,879
Michigan median (3 colleges)$95,761 (+$3,118)
U.S. median (34 colleges)$91,799 (+$7,080)

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 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$1,043$4,308under 1 year
$30–48k$1,878$7,756under 1 year
$48–75k$4,895$20,216under 1 year
$75–110k$10,869$44,889under 1 year
$110k+$26,517$109,5151.7 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (82% 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 ($98,879) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $65,468 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 Michigan colleges

Every Michigan 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 Michigan-Ann Arbor$98,879$17,750$13,13893%
2Michigan State University$95,761$27,925$19,68081%
3Michigan Technological University$92,070$27,000$14,18268%

Careers for Materials Engineering graduates

Cost Estimators

Ann Arbor area$80,550
Michigan$77,990
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

Ann Arbor area$171,950
Michigan$166,930
U.S.$171,270

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

Materials Engineers

Ann Arbor area$105,950
Michigan$94,050
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 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, by income

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

College Scorecard

About University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Related majors at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Materials Engineering questions

How much do University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Materials Engineering graduates earn?

Materials Engineering graduates of University of Michigan-Ann Arbor earn a median $98,879 four years after graduating and $75,041 one year after. The U.S. median for Materials Engineering graduates across 34 colleges is $91,799.

How much debt do University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Materials Engineering graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Materials Engineering graduates of University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is $17,750, about 18% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,492.

Is University of Michigan-Ann Arbor a good school for Materials Engineering in Michigan?

On pay, Materials Engineering graduates of University of Michigan-Ann Arbor earn $98,879 four years out, $3,118 above the median for the same major across 3 Michigan colleges ($95,761) and $7,080 above the U.S. median ($91,799). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does University of Michigan-Ann Arbor rank for Materials Engineering in Michigan?

Of 3 Michigan colleges reporting Materials Engineering graduate earnings, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor ranks 1st, the highest.

What jobs do Materials Engineering graduates get?

A common career is cost estimators, with a median wage of $80,550 in the Ann Arbor, MI 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
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Cite this: “University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Materials Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor/majors/materials-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).