Best colleges for Materials Sciences in California
Ranked by graduates a year
University of California-Berkeley, University of California-Santa Barbara and University of Southern California award the most Materials Sciences degrees and certificates in California: 105, 37 and 11 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 6 California colleges offer Materials Sciences and award 171 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Materials Sciences program is an interdisciplinary field that explores the relationships between the structure of materials and their properties. This program is designed for students interested in understanding how materials can be…
6 institutions offering Materials Sciences in California
Graduate earnings are not yet reported for these institutions; ordered by graduates a year.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public | — | 105 | 93% | — | — |
| 2 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Public | — | 37 | 83% | — | — |
| 3 | University of Southern California Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | — | 11 | 92% | $26,873 | — |
| 4 | University of California-Riverside Riverside Public | — | 10 | 76% | — | — |
| 5 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public | — | 4 | 87% | — | — |
| 6 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | — | 4 | 93% | — | — |
Colleges awarding the most Materials Sciences degrees in California
Top 6 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public | 105 | Not reported |
| 2 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Public | 37 | Not reported |
| 3 | University of Southern California Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | 11 | Not reported |
| 4 | University of California-Riverside Riverside Public | 10 | Not reported |
| 5 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public | 4 | Not reported |
| 6 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | 4 | Not reported |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Materials Scientists (SOC 19-2032).
Top skills
What Materials Scientists earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Materials Sciences programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Materials Sciences degrees?+
University of California-Berkeley (105 graduates a year), University of California-Santa Barbara (37 graduates a year) and University of Southern California (11 graduates a year) award the most Materials Sciences degrees and certificates in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 6 California colleges offer Materials Sciences.
How much do Materials Scientists earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Materials Scientists in California is $189,460 (median $177,030), across about 1,030 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Materials Sciences program?+
The Materials Sciences program is an interdisciplinary field that explores the relationships between the structure of materials and their properties. This program is designed for students interested in understanding how materials can be…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, science, critical thinking, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Materials Scientists?+
The national job outlook is about +4.9% growth with around 600 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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