Illinois · Materials Engineering

Best institutions to study Materials Engineering in Illinois

Materials Engineering is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on understanding the relationships between the structure of materials and their properties. This program is designed for students interested in how materials are processed…

Institutions
4
offering CIP 14.18
States offered
9
with a program page
Degrees / yr
194
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$75,080
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
1
College Scorecard
Median net price
$19,899
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
79%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Materials Engineers
$122,070
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 1 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign
Champaign Public · Bachelor's degree
$75,08011585%$17,916

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Materials Engineers (SOC 17-2131).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+5.7%
Faster than average
Openings / yr (US)
~1,500
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$108,310
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningScienceCritical ThinkingMathematicsSpeaking

What Materials Engineers earn in Illinois

Jobs in Illinois
290
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$122,070
median $126,620
Best-paying metro
$108,990
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

Related careers

Cost Estimators
$88,880 avg · 5,990 jobs
Materials Engineers
$122,070 avg · 290 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Materials Engineering programs in Illinois.

Which Materials Engineering program in Illinois has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign tops the list at $75,080. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Materials Engineers earn in Illinois?+

The average annual wage for Materials Engineers in Illinois is $122,070 (median $126,620), across about 290 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Materials Engineering program?+

Materials Engineering is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on understanding the relationships between the structure of materials and their properties. This program is designed for students interested in how materials are processed…

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 Engineers?+

The national job outlook is about +5.7% growth with around 1,500 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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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