North Carolina · Materials Engineering

Best colleges for Materials Engineering in North Carolina

Ranked by graduate earnings

North Carolina State University at Raleigh and Duke University award the most Materials Engineering degrees and certificates in North Carolina: 70 and 3 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 2 North Carolina colleges offer Materials Engineering and award 73 degrees and certificates a year in all.

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
2
offering CIP 14.18
States offered
40
with a program page
Degrees / yr
73
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$74,058
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
1
College Scorecard
Median net price
$16,260
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
91%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Materials Engineers
$110,700
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top institution, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh Public · Bachelor's degree
$74,0587085%—$21,111

Colleges awarding the most Materials Engineering degrees in North Carolina

Top 2 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.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh Public
70$74,058
2Duke University
Durham Private not-for-profit
3Not reported

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 North Carolina

Jobs in North Carolina
640
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$110,700
median $104,240
Best-paying metro
$118,400
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Related careers

Cost Estimators
$78,060 avg · 8,030 jobs
Materials Engineers
$110,700 avg · 640 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Materials Engineering programs in North Carolina.

Which North Carolina colleges award the most Materials Engineering degrees?+

North Carolina State University at Raleigh (70 graduates a year) and Duke University (3 graduates a year) award the most Materials Engineering degrees and certificates in North Carolina, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 2 North Carolina colleges offer Materials Engineering.

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, North Carolina State University at Raleigh tops the list at $74,058. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Materials Engineers earn in North Carolina?+

The average annual wage for Materials Engineers in North Carolina is $110,700 (median $104,240), across about 640 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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