Materials Engineering degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in materials engineering earn a median $91,799 four years after finishing, across 34 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in materials engineering and materials science earn $84,907, $22,858 more than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is other engineers (15%).
Median across 34 colleges; middle half $86,084–$95,314.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $57,435–$106,601. 236 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Materials Engineering And Materials Science"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$49,269/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs materials engineering graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in materials engineering and materials science actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Engineers | 15% | — | — | — | — |
| Materials Engineers | 11% | $112,860 | +7.5% | Bachelor's degree | RIC |
| Industrial Engineers, Including Health And Safety | 7% | $102,670 | +12.0% | — | — |
| Market Research Analysts And Marketing Specialists | 5% | $78,760 | +7.0% | Bachelor's degree | ECI |
| Other Managers | 4% | — | — | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineers | 3% | $104,110 | +11.2% | Bachelor's degree | RIC |
| Chemical Engineers | 3% | $125,040 | +4.7% | Bachelor's degree | RIC |
| Chemists And Materials Scientists | 2% | $95,060 | +6.6% | — | — |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Materials Engineering earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| California | $100,599 (3) | — |
| Connecticut | $93,464 (5) | — |
| Michigan | $95,761 (3) | — |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where materials engineering graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 2 in Florida, 2 in Virginia, 9 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-IrvineCA | $106,547 | $9,987 |
| 2 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCA | $100,599 | $17,000 |
| 3 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVA | $90,828 | $27,000 |
| 4 | University of California-DavisCA | $89,983 | $18,777 |
| 5 | University of FloridaFL | $87,779 | — |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Materials Engineering degree questions
How much do Materials Engineering graduates make?
Materials Engineering graduates earn a median $91,799 four years after finishing, across 34 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $86,084 to $95,314; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in materials engineering and materials science, the median is $84,907 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Materials Engineering degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in materials engineering and materials science earn a median $84,907: $22,858 more than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $49,269 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Materials Engineering graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in materials engineering and materials science, the most common jobs are other engineers (15%), materials engineers (11%), industrial engineers, including health and safety (7%).
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Materials Engineering degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/materials-engineering.