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Summary

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Video transcript available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61wd30JO7fk.
Quick Facts: Materials Engineers
2024 Median Pay $108,310 per year
$52.07 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education Bachelor's degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation None
On-the-job Training None
Number of Jobs, 2024 23,000
Job Outlook, 2024–34 6% (Faster than average)
Employment Change, 2024–34 1,300

What Materials Engineers Do

Materials engineers develop, process, and test materials used to create a wide range of products.

Work Environment

Materials engineers work in offices, factories, and research and development laboratories. Most work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week.

How to Become a Materials Engineer

Materials engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering or a related field. Employers also value practical experience, which students sometimes gain through internships.

Pay

The median annual wage for materials engineers was $108,310 in May 2024.

Job Outlook

Employment of materials engineers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 1,500 openings for materials engineers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

State & Area Data

Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for materials engineers.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of materials engineers with similar occupations.

More Information, Including Links to O*NET

Learn more about materials engineers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

What Materials Engineers Do About this section

Materials engineer working in laboratory.
Materials engineers work with metals, ceramics, and plastics to create new materials.

Materials engineers develop, process, and test materials used to create a range of products. They study the properties and structures of metals, polymers, and other substances to develop new materials. They also help select materials for specific products and identify ways to use existing materials.

Duties

Materials engineers typically do the following:

  • Plan and evaluate new projects, consulting with other engineers and managers as necessary
  • Prepare proposals and budgets, analyze labor costs, and write reports
  • Supervise the work of technologists, technicians, and other engineers and scientists
  • Design and implement procedures to develop, process, test, and deploy materials
  • Monitor the performance and degradation of materials over time
  • Determine causes of material failure and develop ways of overcoming such failure
  • Evaluate technical and quality control specifications of materials
  • Assess economic, environmental, and sustainability factors related to producing, using, and disposing of materials

Materials engineers create and study materials at the atomic level. They use computer software to understand and predict the properties of materials and their components. To determine the material best suited for a product or process, materials engineers consider a variety of factors such as the weight of materials, cost, and how a material may interact with other materials. They solve materials-related challenges in collaboration with workers in other fields, including aerospace, chemical, and electrical engineering.

Materials engineers may specialize in specific materials. The following are examples of types of materials engineers:

Ceramic engineers develop ceramic materials and the processes for making them into useful products, from high-temperature rocket nozzles to glass for LCD flat-panel displays.

Composites engineers develop materials with special, engineered properties for applications in aircraft, automobiles, and related products.

Metallurgical engineers specialize in metals, such as steel and aluminum, usually in alloyed form with additions of other elements to provide specific properties.

Polymers engineers specialize in naturally occurring polymers, such as cellulose and collagen, and synthetic polymers (plastics) for a variety of applications.

Semiconductor engineers focus on materials with special electronic and optical properties, which are used for computing, sensing, and optical applications.

Work Environment About this section

Three materials engineers speaking in an industrial setting.
Materials engineers may work in laboratories or industrial settings to observe the results of their research and development.

Materials engineers held about 23,000 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of materials engineers were as follows:

Transportation equipment manufacturing 18%
Engineering services 11
Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences 10
Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals 8
Computer and electronic product manufacturing 8

Materials engineers work in offices, factories, and research and development laboratories. They may work on teams with other scientists and engineers.

Work Schedules

Most materials engineers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week.

How to Become a Materials Engineer About this section

Group of four materials engineers engage in conversation.
Materials engineers plan and evaluate new projects, consulting with others as necessary.

Materials engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering or a related field. Employers also value practical experience, which students sometimes gain through internships.

Education

High school students interested in becoming a materials engineer should take classes in math, such as algebra, trigonometry, and calculus; science, such as biology, chemistry, and physics; and computer programming.

Entry-level jobs for materials engineers typically require a bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering or other engineering fields. Some jobs, such as those in research and development, require a master’s degree or Ph.D.

Bachelor’s degree programs usually include classroom and laboratory courses, such as calculus, chemistry, and the structure, processing, and properties of materials.

Some colleges and universities offer internships and cooperative programs in partnership with industry employers. In these programs, students gain practical experience while completing their education.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Licensure is not required for entry-level materials engineer positions. Experienced engineers may obtain a Professional Engineering (PE) license, which allows them to oversee the work of other engineers, sign off on projects, and provide services directly to the public.

State licensure typically requires a bachelor’s or higher degree in engineering, a passing score on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, several years of relevant work experience, and a passing score on the PE exam.

Each state issues its own license. Most states recognize licensure from other states, if the licensing state’s requirements meet or exceed their own licensure requirements. Several states require continuing education for engineers to keep their licenses. Information on state licensing board requirements is available from CareerOneStop.

Some materials engineers opt to earn professional certification, which can help to demonstrate competency.

Important Qualities

The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page.

Analytical skills. Materials engineers must evaluate various materials and their properties and determine how best to use them.

Computer skills. Materials engineers use and write code for computational and machine learning software, which may help guide material selection and predict the properties of materials.

Math skills. Materials engineers use calculus, statistics, and other advanced topics in math for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work.

Problem-solving skills. Materials engineers must be able to anticipate and identify problems, such as those related to manufacturing processes, and to devise solutions.

Communication skills. Materials engineers must convey information clearly, such as when working on a team or when writing reports.

Advancement

Materials engineers may advance to become technical specialists or to supervise a team of engineers and technicians. Some may become engineering managers or move into other managerial positions.

Pay About this section

Materials Engineers

Median annual wages, May 2024

Materials engineers

$108,310

Engineers

$106,070

Total, all occupations

$49,500

 

Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

The median annual wage for materials engineers was $108,310 in May 2024. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $68,040, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $172,000.

In May 2024, the median annual wages for materials engineers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals $133,700
Transportation equipment manufacturing 126,350
Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences 118,760
Computer and electronic product manufacturing 113,200
Engineering services 105,590

Most materials engineers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week.

Job Outlook About this section

Materials Engineers

Percent change in employment, projected 2024–34

Engineers

7%

Materials engineers

6%

Total, all occupations

3%

 

Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program

Employment of materials engineers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 1,500 openings for materials engineers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

As demand for new materials and manufacturing processes continues to increase, more materials engineers are expected to be needed to help develop these products and systems. For example, new metal alloys are expected to be developed to make airplanes lighter and more fuel efficient.

Employment projections data for materials engineers, 2024–34
Occupational Title SOC Code Employment, 2024 Projected Employment, 2034 Change, 2024–34 Employment by Industry
Percent Numeric

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program

Materials engineers

 17-2131 23,000 24,300 6 1,300 Get data

State & Area Data About this section

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link below goes to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Use the dropdown boxes to select an occupation.

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.org. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Similar Occupations About this section

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of materials engineers.

Occupation Job Duties ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION Help on Entry-Level Education 2024 MEDIAN PAY Help on Median Pay
Aerospace engineers Aerospace Engineers

Aerospace engineers design, develop, and test aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles.

 Bachelor's degree $134,830
Architectural and engineering managers Architectural and Engineering Managers

Architectural and engineering managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities in the fields of architecture and engineering.

 Bachelor's degree $167,740
Bioengineers and biomedical engineers Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers

Bioengineers and biomedical engineers combine engineering principles with sciences to design and create equipment, devices, computer systems, and software.

 Bachelor's degree $106,950
Chemical engineers Chemical Engineers

Chemical engineers apply the principles of chemistry, physics, and engineering to design equipment and processes for manufacturing products such as gasoline, detergents, and paper.

 Bachelor's degree $121,860
Chemists and materials scientists Chemists and Materials Scientists

Chemists and materials scientists research and analyze the chemical properties of substances to develop new materials, products, or knowledge.

 Bachelor's degree $86,620
Electrical and electronics engineers Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Electrical and electronics engineers design, develop, and test electrical and electronic equipment, components, and systems.

 Bachelor's degree $118,780
Mechanical engineers Mechanical Engineers

Mechanical engineers design, develop, build, and test mechanical and thermal sensors and devices.

 Bachelor's degree $102,320
Physicists and astronomers Physicists and Astronomers

Physicists and astronomers study the interactions of matter and energy.

 Doctoral or professional degree $166,290
Sales engineers Sales Engineers

Sales engineers sell business products or services, such as software or support, that require technical expertise.

 Bachelor's degree $121,520
Industrial engineers Industrial Engineers

Industrial engineers design, develop, and test integrated systems for managing industrial production processes.

 Bachelor's degree $101,140
Suggested citation:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Materials Engineers,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/materials-engineers.htm (visited September 24, 2025).

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2025

What They Do

The What They Do tab describes the typical duties and responsibilities of workers in the occupation, including what tools and equipment they use and how closely they are supervised. This tab also covers different types of occupational specialties.

Work Environment

The Work Environment tab includes the number of jobs held in the occupation and describes the workplace, the level of physical activity expected, and typical hours worked. It may also discuss the major industries that employed the occupation. This tab may also describe opportunities for part-time work, the amount and type of travel required, any safety equipment that is used, and the risk of injury that workers may face.

How to Become One

The How to Become One tab describes how to prepare for a job in the occupation. This tab can include information on education, training, work experience, licensing and certification, and important qualities that are required or helpful for entering or working in the occupation.

Pay

The Pay tab describes typical earnings and how workers in the occupation are compensated—annual salaries, hourly wages, commissions, tips, or bonuses. Within every occupation, earnings vary by experience, responsibility, performance, tenure, and geographic area. For most profiles, this tab has a table with wages in the major industries employing the occupation. It does not include pay for self-employed workers, agriculture workers, or workers in private households because these data are not collected by the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, the source of BLS wage data in the OOH.

State & Area Data

The State and Area Data tab provides links to state and area occupational data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, state projections data from Projections Central, and occupational information from the Department of Labor's CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The Job Outlook tab describes the factors that affect employment growth or decline in the occupation, and in some instances, describes the relationship between the number of job seekers and the number of job openings.

Similar Occupations

The Similar Occupations tab describes occupations that share similar duties, skills, interests, education, or training with the occupation covered in the profile.

Contacts for More Information

The More Information tab provides the Internet addresses of associations, government agencies, unions, and other organizations that can provide additional information on the occupation. This tab also includes links to relevant occupational information from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET).

2024 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2024, the median annual wage for all workers was $49,500.

On-the-job Training

Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Entry-level Education

Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.

Work experience in a related occupation

Work experience that is commonly considered necessary by employers, or is a commonly accepted substitute for more formal types of training or education.

Number of Jobs, 2024

The employment, or size, of this occupation in 2024, which is the base year of the 2024–34 employment projections.

Job Outlook, 2024-34

The projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034. The average growth rate for all occupations is 3 percent.

Employment Change, 2024-34

The projected numeric change in employment from 2024 to 2034.

Entry-level Education

Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.

On-the-job Training

Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Employment Change, projected 2024-34

The projected numeric change in employment from 2024 to 2034.

Growth Rate (Projected)

The percent change of employment for each occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Projected Number of New Jobs

The projected numeric change in employment from 2024 to 2034.

Projected Growth Rate

The projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034.

2024 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2024, the median annual wage for all workers was $49,500.