Best programs to become a materials scientist
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for materials scientists. The fields of study that lead most directly to this job are Materials Sciences and Textile Science (IPEDS completions).
4 college programs at 55 schools train materials scientists, graduating 637 people a year (IPEDS completions). The job pays a median of $117,790 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About materials scientists
Research and study the structures and chemical properties of various natural and synthetic or composite materials, including metals, alloys, rubber, ceramics, semiconductors, polymers, and glass. Determine ways to strengthen or combine materials or develop new materials with new or specific properties for use in a variety of products and applications. Includes glass scientists, ceramic scientists, metallurgical scientists, and polymer scientists.
Best programs to study to become a materials scientist
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Materials Sciencemain feeder CIP 40.1001 | 595 | 93.4% | 45 | $72,216 | $24,750 |
| 2 | Materials Sciences, Othermain feeder CIP 40.1099 | 22 | 3.5% | 5 | $72,216 | $24,750 |
| 3 | Materials Chemistrymain feeder CIP 40.1002 | 16 | 2.5% | 6 | $72,216 | $24,750 |
| 4 | CIP 19.0904 | 4 | 0.6% | 1 | $36,635 | $24,750 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CA Public · 1 feeder program | 105 | Materials Science | 93% | — | 11% |
| 2 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 103 | Materials Science | 94% | $23,803 | 12% |
| 3 | University of Delaware Newark, DE Public · 1 feeder program | 42 | Materials Science | 81% | — | 71% |
| 4 | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus University Park, PA Public · 1 feeder program | 41 | Materials Science | 86% | — | 61% |
| 5 | University of California - Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA Public · 1 feeder program | 37 | Materials Science | 83% | — | 33% |
| 6 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 36 | Materials Science | 96% | $15,315 | 4% |
| 7 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TX Public · 1 feeder program | 17 | Materials Science | 84% | — | 57% |
| 8 | Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 16 | Materials Science | 70% | $28,133 | 67% |
| 9 | University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY Public · 1 feeder program | 14 | Materials Science | 75% | — | 74% |
| 10 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC Public · 1 feeder program | 12 | Materials Science | 91% | — | 15% |
| 11 | Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH Public · 1 feeder program | 11 | Materials Science | 64% | — | 86% |
| 12 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 11 | Materials Science | 92% | $26,873 | 10% |
| 13 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZ Public · 1 feeder program | 10 | Materials Science | 68% | — | 86% |
| 14 | University of California - Riverside Riverside, CA Public · 1 feeder program | 10 | Materials Science | 76% | — | 76% |
| 15 | Montana State University Bozeman, MT Public · 1 feeder program | 9 | Materials Science | 57% | — | 82% |
| 16 | Oregon State University Corvallis, OR Public · 1 feeder program | 9 | Materials Science | 70% | — | 77% |
| 17 | University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI Public · 1 feeder program | 9 | Materials Science | 64% | — | 82% |
| 18 | Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO Public · 1 feeder program | 8 | Materials Science | 67% | — | 89% |
| 19 | New York University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 8 | Materials Sciences, Other | 88% | $29,023 | 9% |
| 20 | University of New Mexico - Main Campus Albuquerque, NM Public · 1 feeder program | 7 | Materials Science | 55% | — | 95% |
| 21 | University of Rochester Rochester, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 7 | Materials Science | 85% | $25,874 | 40% |
| 22 | William Paterson University of New Jersey Wayne, NJ Public · 1 feeder program | 7 | Materials Chemistry | 44% | — | 90% |
| 23 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Public · 1 feeder program | 6 | Materials Science | 81% | — | 85% |
| 24 | Pittsburg State University Pittsburg, KS Public · 1 feeder program | 6 | Materials Science | 57% | — | 89% |
| 25 | Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 6 | Materials Science | 87% | $34,827 | 48% |
| 26 | The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL Public · 1 feeder program | 6 | Materials Science | 73% | — | 77% |
| 27 | University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez Mayaguez, PR Public · 1 feeder program | 6 | Materials Science | 49% | — | 57% |
| 28 | Wayne State University Detroit, MI Public · 1 feeder program | 6 | Materials Science | 58% | — | 81% |
| 29 | North Dakota State University - Main Campus Fargo, ND Public · 1 feeder program | 5 | Materials Sciences, Other | 64% | — | 95% |
| 30 | Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management Wright-Patterson AFB, OH Public · 1 feeder program | 4 | Materials Science | — | — | — |
| 31 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 4 | Textile Science | 95% | $17,613 | 9% |
| 32 | Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO Public · 1 feeder program | 4 | Materials Science | 58% | — | 91% |
| 33 | University of Alabama in Huntsville Huntsville, AL Public · 1 feeder program | 4 | Materials Science | 64% | — | 69% |
| 34 | University of California - Irvine Irvine, CA Public · 1 feeder program | 4 | Materials Science | 87% | — | 29% |
| 35 | University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Public · 1 feeder program | 4 | Materials Science | 93% | — | 9% |
| 36 | University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD Public · 1 feeder program | 4 | Materials Chemistry | 60% | — | 99% |
| 37 | University of Vermont Burlington, VT Public · 1 feeder program | 4 | Materials Science | 79% | — | 65% |
| 38 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 4 | Materials Science | 94% | $14,854 | 6% |
| 39 | Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 3 | Materials Chemistry | 59% | — | 90% |
| 40 | Duke University Durham, NC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 3 | Materials Science | 97% | $16,260 | 6% |
| 41 | Montana Technological University Butte, MT Public · 1 feeder program | 3 | Materials Science | 58% | — | 91% |
| 42 | Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ Public · 1 feeder program | 3 | Materials Science | 61% | — | 90% |
| 43 | Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 3 | Materials Sciences, Other | 94% | $14,126 | 12% |
| 44 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL Public · 1 feeder program | 2 | Materials Science | 86% | — | 24% |
| 45 | Norfolk State University Norfolk, VA Public · 1 feeder program | 2 | Materials Science | 38% | — | 88% |
| 46 | University of Georgia Athens, GA Public · 1 feeder program | 2 | Materials Science | 90% | — | 38% |
| 47 | University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL Public · 1 feeder program | 2 | Materials Science | 69% | — | 53% |
| 48 | Coppin State University Baltimore, MD Public · 1 feeder program | 1 | Materials Sciences, Other | 26% | — | 46% |
| 49 | CUNY Graduate School and University Center New York, NY Public · 1 feeder program | 1 | Materials Chemistry | — | — | 68% |
| 50 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Tallahassee, FL Public · 1 feeder program | 1 | Materials Science | 53% | — | 21% |
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
What materials scientists earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $177,030 | 1,030 | 1.04× | 6 | 171 |
| Pennsylvanialimited | $106,920 | 100 | 0.31× | 2 | 144 |
| New York | $131,740 | 530 | 1.00× | 7 | 86 |
| Delawarelimited | — | 90 | 3.42× | 1 | 42 |
| Texaslimited | $72,700 | 300 | 0.39× | 1 | 17 |
| Michiganmoderate | $107,410 | 230 | 0.97× | 3 | 15 |
| North Carolinalimited | $106,470 | 490 | 1.84× | 2 | 15 |
| Ohiolimited | $108,830 | 450 | 1.47× | 2 | 15 |
| New Jerseymoderate | $103,150 | 440 | 1.90× | 3 | 14 |
| Montanalimited | $71,810 | 50 | 1.82× | 2 | 12 |
| Oregonlimited | $150,550 | 100 | 0.95× | 1 | 9 |
| Wisconsinlimited | $137,700 | 70 | 0.47× | 1 | 9 |
| Coloradolimited | $117,290 | 370 | 2.35× | 1 | 8 |
| Kansaslimited | $115,490 | 40 | 0.55× | 1 | 6 |
| Floridamoderate | $102,340 | 200 | 0.36× | 3 | 5 |
| Tennesseelimited | $69,010 | 60 | 0.36× | 1 | 4 |
| Georgialimited | $91,970 | 350 | 1.31× | 1 | 2 |
| Virginialimited | $124,150 | 100 | 0.47× | 1 | 2 |
| District of Columbialimited | $137,600 | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Illinoislimited | $125,850 | 380 | 1.15× | 1 | 1 |
| Indianalimited | $130,540 | 320 | 1.82× | 1 | 1 |
| Marylandlimited | $112,400 | 270 | 1.77× | 1 | 1 |
Skills and knowledge
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Conduct research on the structures and properties of materials, such as metals, alloys, polymers, and ceramics, to obtain information that could be used to develop new products or enhance existing ones.
- Test metals to determine conformance to specifications of mechanical strength, strength-weight ratio, ductility, magnetic and electrical properties, and resistance to abrasion, corrosion, heat, and cold.
- Test material samples for tolerance under tension, compression, and shear to determine the cause of metal failures.
- Determine ways to strengthen or combine materials or develop new materials with new or specific properties for use in a variety of products and applications.
- Prepare reports, manuscripts, proposals, and technical manuals for use by other scientists and requestors, such as sponsors and customers.
- Plan laboratory experiments to confirm feasibility of processes and techniques used in the production of materials with special characteristics.
- Recommend materials for reliable performance in various environments.
- Supervise and monitor production processes to ensure efficient use of equipment, timely changes to specifications, and project completion within time frame and budget.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Science4.0
- Writing3.9
- Active Learning3.8
- Speaking3.8
- Mathematics3.5
Knowledge areas
- Engineering and Technology4.8
- Chemistry4.6
- Physics4.4
- Mathematics4.3
- Computers and Electronics3.8
- Production and Processing3.7
Abilities
- Oral Comprehension4.0
- Problem Sensitivity4.0
- Inductive Reasoning4.0
- Deductive Reasoning4.0
- Oral Expression4.0
- Written Comprehension4.0
Core activities
- Getting Information4.4
- Processing Information4.4
- Analyzing Data or Information4.4
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.3
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings4.3
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.2
How to get in
How to become a materials scientist
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 4 majors mapped to Materials Scientists4 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 19.0904Textile Science
- 40.1001Materials Science
- 40.1002Materials Chemistry
- 40.1099Materials Sciences, Other
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a materials scientist?+
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for materials scientists. The fields of study that lead most directly to this job are Materials Sciences and Textile Science (IPEDS completions).
Which college majors lead to becoming a materials scientist?+
The fields of study that lead most directly to this job are Materials Sciences and Textile Science (IPEDS completions). In all, the NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 4 programs to this job, which together graduate about 637 people a year.
How much do materials scientists earn?+
The median is $117,790 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $66,820 at the 10th percentile to $197,290 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for materials scientists growing?+
BLS projects a +4.9% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 600 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
55 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 4 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do materials scientists work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Scientist, Research Scientist, Materials Scientist, Materials Research Engineer among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 19-2032.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card