Metallurgical Engineers
Overview
Introduction
Metallurgical engineers develop new types of metal alloys and adapt existing materials to new uses. They manipulate the atomic and molecular structure of materials in controlled manufacturing environments, selecting materials with desirable mechanical, electrical, magnetic, chemical, and heat-transfer properties that meet specific performance requirements. Metallurgical engineers are sometimes also referred to as metallurgists. Metallurgical engineers are a subspecialty of materials engineers. There are approximately 27,700...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
The U.S. Department of Labor classifies metallurgical engineers under materials engineers, who had median annual earnings of $92,390 in May 2018. Salaries ranged from less than $57,110 to more than $148,110. The National Association of Colleges and Employers reports that the projected starting salary for engineering graduates of all disciplines, which would include metallurgical engineers, was ...
Work Environment
Extractive metallurgical engineers usually work in ore treatment plants, refineries, smelter plants, or steel mills. They may also work at remote mining sites. Those working in physical metallurgy are usually located in labs or manufacturing plants, doing research and conducting studies on extracted metals. Process engineers work in a diverse range of environments, including welding shops, roll...
Outlook
Employment for materials engineers is expected to show little or no change through 2028, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The DOL predicts that job prospects will be best for those who train in traditional fields of materials engineering, such as metallurgy. Also, metallurgical engineers should find sufficient job openings because of the low number of new graduates relative to other e...