How much do materials engineers make?

Materials engineers make $82,000 a year ($39.55 an hour). However, there is a considerable range in how much a material engineer can make - starting from as little as $60,000 to as much as $164,000 a year. Factors such as location and the company impact where a materials engineer will fall along this pay scale.

What degree do you need to become a material engineer?

The degree needed to be a material engineer is a bachelor's degree in materials science and engineering or a related engineering field. Some material engineering programs offer a five-year degree that includes a master's degree.

What skills do you need to be a materials engineer?

The skills needed to be a material engineer are related to researching, building, collaborating, developing, and processing products. Materials engineers study the properties and structures of metals, ceramics, plastics, composites, nanomaterials (extremely small substances), and other substances to create new materials that meet certain mechanical, electrical, and chemical requirements.

What is a material engineer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Experts

Thomas Junk Ph.D.,

Rick Wise Ph.D.

A material engineer applies science and engineering principles to develop new materials. They are involved in researching and analyzing the physical properties of materials, including metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites. Material engineers use this knowledge to design materials that can be used in a range of applications such as improving product performance, reducing manufacturing costs, and increasing product lifespan. They work closely with other professionals in industries such as aerospace, automotive, construction, and electronics.

What general advice would you give to a Material Engineer?

Thomas Junk Ph.D.

Professor and Head, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

While this may not exactly answer your question, it is very important to start making connections and to network WELL BEFORE graduation. Internships, volunteer work, membership in professional organizations, leadership activities all help to land a job after graduation. It is very important to continue networking as much as possible. The only true job security is the ability to find another job - it is truly liberating because it enables you to say "no" to your boss, if necessary. Also, I noticed that many graduates do not take advantage of all possible avenues to find employers. It is important to have a good web presence and to sign up on sites such as LinkedIn.

I also highly recommend cultivating ties to one's former institution and college friends. Often, job openings are filled by word of mouth: companies looking for somebody with a specific skill set ask around. A company contacted me for the name of somebody I could recommend for a specific job, but I came to find out that the contact information that I had of the person I wanted to recommend was no longer valid.

It is important to have specific career goals. Many recent graduates and fresh hires let their careers "drift" and have no idea where they want to be ten years from now. Also, always keep looking for jobs! Few jobs are so good that it is impossible to find a better one.

ScoreMaterial EngineerUS Average

Salary

6.7

Avg. Salary $86,258

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

5.2

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.34%

Asian 19.55%

Black or African American 2.05%

Hispanic or Latino 8.04%

Unknown 3.49%

White 66.53%

Gender

female 21.45%

male 78.55%

Age - 40

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 40

Stress Level

5.2

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

7.6

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

5.9

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Material Engineer?

Pros

High demand for material engineers in various industries
Opportunity to work on innovative projects with cutting-edge technology
Possibility of career advancement and specialization
Ability to work on interdisciplinary teams and collaborate with other professionals
Opportunities for travel and international work

Cons

Requires extensive education and training, which can be costly and time-consuming
High pressure to meet project deliverables and technical specifications
Requires attention to detail and strict adherence to safety protocols
May require working in noisy or uncomfortable environments
Work can be highly specialized, limiting opportunities for a career change or advancement outside the material engineering field

Key steps to become a material engineer

Explore material engineer education requirements

Most common material engineer degrees

Bachelor's

72.4 %

Master's

16.3 %

Associate

4.7 %

Start to develop specific material engineer skills

Skills	Percentages
DOD	15.33%
Failure Analysis	5.46%
Data Analysis	3.94%
CAD	3.81%
ASTM	3.50%

Complete relevant material engineer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New material engineers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a material engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real material engineer resumes.

Research material engineer duties and responsibilities

Manage and successfully complete carbon/epoxy material qualification and gain approval from FAA to use in manufacturing of composite aircraft parts.
Position entails ownership of machinery and equipment performance used to produce supply for aluminum aerospace and automotive components.
Determine processing for titanium bloom and slab.
Perform QC checks throughout the process to continually improve.

Prepare your material engineer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your material engineer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a material engineer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Material Engineer Resume templates

Build a professional Material Engineer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Material Engineer resume.

Apply for material engineer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a material engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do material engineers rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Material Engineer reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019

Pros

Being on the field doing running inspections and learning from the technicians

Cons

Being expose to bad weather that compromise the safety of operations.

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019