Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Materials Engineering: earnings, debt & careers

Materials Engineering graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University earn a median $90,828 four years after graduating ($66,888 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $27,000. That is $971 below the U.S. median for Materials Engineering graduates ($91,799 across 34 colleges), and ranks 1st of 1 Virginia colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$90,828

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

College Scorecard field of study

Earnings, 1 year after
$66,888

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$27,000

About 30% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $23,492.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$24,953 /yr

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

Sticker price $36,951. College Scorecard.

Careers for Materials Engineering graduates

Cost Estimators

Blacksburg area$67,040
Virginia$80,530
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

Blacksburg area$137,870
Virginia$176,160
U.S.$171,270

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

Materials Engineers

Virginia$116,720
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 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, by income

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

College Scorecard

About Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Related majors at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Materials Engineering questions

How much do Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Materials Engineering graduates earn?

Materials Engineering graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University earn a median $90,828 four years after graduating and $66,888 one year after. The U.S. median for Materials Engineering graduates across 34 colleges is $91,799.

How much debt do Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Materials Engineering graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Materials Engineering graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is $27,000, about 30% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,492.

Where does Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University rank for Materials Engineering in Virginia?

Of 1 Virginia colleges reporting Materials Engineering graduate earnings, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ranks 1st, the highest.

What jobs do Materials Engineering graduates get?

A common career is cost estimators, with a median wage of $67,040 in the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA 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: “Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Materials Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university/majors/materials-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).