Materials Engineers
Overview
Introduction
Materials engineers extract, process, create, design, and test materials—such as metals, ceramics, plastics, semiconductors, and combinations of these materials called composites—to create a wide variety of products, from computer parts to surf boards. Approximately 25,000 materials engineers are employed in the United States.
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
In January 2025, Salary.com reported that the average annual salary for materials engineers with one to two years of experience was $80,591. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that materials engineers earned median salaries of $104,100 in May 2023. At the low end of the scale, 10 percent of materials engineers earned less than $63,340 annually. The highest paid 10 percent had annual incomes o...
Work Environment
Working conditions in materials engineering positions vary depending on the specific field and department in which one works. Hands-on engineers work in plants and factories. Researchers work mainly in laboratories, research institutes, and universities. Those in management positions work mostly in offices, and teachers, of course, work in school environments. Whatever the job description, a ma...
Outlook
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) predicts that job growth for materials engineers will increase 7 percent, faster than the average, through 2033. "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," the DOL explains. "For example, new metal alloys are expected to be devel...
