17
Materials Engineers is a notable career in the 17 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Materials Engineers against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 17-2131 |
| title | Materials Engineers |
| onet code | 17-2131.00 |
| description | Evaluate materials and develop machinery and processes to manufacture materials for use in products that must meet specialized design and performance specifications. Develop new uses for known materials. Includes those engineers working with composite materials or specializing in one type of material, such as graphite, metal and metal alloys, ceramics and glass, plastics and polymers, and naturally occurring materials. Includes metallurgists and metallurgical engineers, ceramic engineers, and welding engineers. |
| job zone | 4 |
| major group | 17 |
| tot emp | 22,770 |
| a mean | 116,380 |
| a median | 108,310 |
| a pct10 | 68,040 |
| a pct25 | 85,820 |
| a pct75 | 138,370 |
| a pct90 | 172,000 |
| h mean | 55 |
| h median | 52 |
The day-to-day work of a materials engineers typically centers on analyze product failure data and laboratory test results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Reading Comprehension, Science, and Active Listening. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.76 out of 5 — highly rated for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working materials engineers, the most common entry qualification is a Bachelor's Degree (47.6%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 100% of incumbents. This is a degree-heavy profession — most incumbents hold a four-year degree or beyond.
Median annual pay is highest in Washington at $140,810 and lowest in Iowa at $76,640 — a 1.8× spread. The top five states (Washington, Maryland, Delaware, California, Oregon) average $130,856. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $140,810 | $148,500 | $99,350 | $218,730 | 1,240 |
| Maryland | $130,920 | $130,650 | $76,900 | $191,880 | 960 |
| Delaware | $127,640 | $130,270 | $85,070 | $172,000 | 50 |
| California | $127,550 | $131,080 | $87,070 | $181,500 | 2,760 |
| Oregon | $127,360 | $130,040 | $94,180 | $167,120 | 90 |
| New York | $121,980 | $121,440 | $67,850 | $163,610 | 750 |
| Colorado | $121,430 | $126,100 | $76,740 | $183,630 | 540 |
| Alaska | $120,540 | $113,280 | $77,730 | $149,820 | 70 |
| Texas | $116,170 | $125,990 | $61,830 | $190,560 | 1,730 |
| Wyoming | $114,370 | $108,810 | $63,690 | $121,800 | 40 |
| Massachusetts | $111,030 | $117,950 | $84,350 | $163,440 | 1,060 |
| South Carolina | $110,730 | $114,320 | $76,850 | $164,470 | 440 |
| Alabama | $110,150 | $112,300 | $66,920 | $164,530 | 660 |
| Tennessee | $108,670 | $109,300 | $72,730 | $155,180 | 550 |
| Arizona | $108,260 | $117,110 | $79,290 | $164,160 | 380 |
| Minnesota | $106,430 | $116,370 | $79,120 | $171,990 | 180 |
| Virginia | $106,290 | $113,550 | $60,500 | $169,100 | 620 |
| Ohio | $106,060 | $111,720 | $69,820 | $165,250 | 1,770 |
| Illinois | $105,980 | $110,480 | $67,040 | $173,990 | 180 |
| New Hampshire | $105,840 | $114,680 | $74,150 | $168,290 | 70 |
| Kentucky | $105,090 | $103,580 | $80,330 | $132,130 | 340 |
| Connecticut | $104,390 | $115,420 | $85,820 | $152,700 | 400 |
| Florida | $104,040 | $109,960 | $58,610 | $159,210 | 680 |
| Idaho | $101,750 | $100,490 | $50,450 | $169,590 | 80 |
| Oklahoma | $101,100 | $105,510 | $67,190 | $154,990 | 230 |
| Louisiana | $100,990 | $109,150 | $73,930 | $164,260 | 80 |
| Montana | $100,600 | $88,910 | $61,010 | $103,070 | 180 |
| Arkansas | $100,330 | $105,280 | $73,800 | $145,720 | 110 |
| New Jersey | $100,240 | $110,400 | $78,410 | $159,240 | 290 |
| Missouri | $99,160 | $107,530 | $64,100 | $163,720 | 270 |
| Indiana | $98,290 | $98,070 | $63,040 | $137,940 | 470 |
| West Virginia | $97,960 | $95,420 | $55,130 | $130,070 | 50 |
| Nevada | $97,580 | $108,730 | $75,920 | $157,400 | 110 |
| Georgia | $97,380 | $104,380 | $65,640 | $169,280 | 550 |
| Kansas | $97,200 | $105,850 | $74,270 | $152,460 | 260 |
| Michigan | $96,660 | $97,930 | $58,680 | $141,260 | 1,030 |
| Wisconsin | $96,650 | $97,340 | $68,840 | $131,790 | 320 |
| North Carolina | $95,640 | $101,650 | $75,310 | $138,330 | 770 |
| Vermont | $93,210 | $102,750 | $72,590 | $156,350 | 40 |
| Rhode Island | $92,180 | $110,710 | $78,400 | $149,790 | 40 |
| Mississippi | $90,700 | $97,060 | $55,480 | $151,720 | 110 |
| Pennsylvania | $89,160 | $97,460 | $51,100 | $149,710 | 780 |
| Maine | $89,140 | $102,740 | $70,200 | $134,730 | 110 |
| Utah | $85,720 | $97,950 | $67,330 | $136,810 | 490 |
| Nebraska | $84,540 | $90,850 | $56,600 | $129,280 | 140 |
| Iowa | $76,640 | $82,380 | $60,380 | $110,620 | 310 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for materials engineers. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Automotive Sheet Metal Engineer or Ceramic Design Engineer frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Materials Engineers compares to others in the 17 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Materials Engineers
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.
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