19
Materials Scientists is a notable career in the 19 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Materials Scientists against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 19-2032 |
| title | Materials Scientists |
| onet code | 19-2032.00 |
| description | 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. |
| job zone | 4 |
| major group | 19 |
| tot emp | 8,330 |
| a mean | 111,410 |
| a median | 104,160 |
| a pct10 | 61,460 |
| a pct25 | 79,980 |
| a pct75 | 134,140 |
| a pct90 | 168,500 |
| h mean | 53 |
| h median | 50 |
The day-to-day work of a materials scientists typically centers on 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. 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 Science, Reading Comprehension, and Critical Thinking. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.85 out of 5 — highly rated for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working materials scientists, the most common entry qualification is a Bachelor's Degree (61.9%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 90% of incumbents. This is a degree-heavy profession — most incumbents hold a four-year degree or beyond.
Median annual pay is highest in New Hampshire at $136,300 and lowest in Montana at $56,750 — a 2.4× spread. The top five states (New Hampshire, California, Colorado, New York, Florida) average $128,642. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $136,300 | $120,030 | $62,210 | $167,350 | 80 |
| California | $131,530 | $130,220 | $57,030 | $182,860 | 610 |
| Colorado | $126,980 | $128,850 | $86,230 | $176,330 | — |
| New York | $125,490 | $133,200 | $83,000 | $201,770 | 630 |
| Florida | $122,910 | $116,390 | $76,130 | $151,500 | 100 |
| Wisconsin | $120,520 | $114,340 | $63,990 | $146,370 | 140 |
| Illinois | $120,320 | $121,090 | $79,980 | $168,810 | 470 |
| Virginia | $118,820 | $117,890 | $60,370 | $174,840 | 160 |
| Utah | $118,720 | $118,450 | $63,710 | $161,340 | 80 |
| Massachusetts | $118,270 | $122,600 | $90,120 | $169,060 | 720 |
| Oklahoma | $115,840 | $113,980 | $106,530 | $116,880 | 60 |
| Minnesota | $114,070 | $116,010 | $84,100 | $162,400 | 360 |
| Washington | $110,470 | $128,540 | $72,220 | $196,040 | 290 |
| Maryland | $106,320 | $109,780 | $75,130 | $155,520 | 200 |
| Oregon | $103,980 | $117,220 | $78,960 | $185,070 | 180 |
| Pennsylvania | $103,060 | $102,940 | $57,520 | $155,490 | 290 |
| Ohio | $101,950 | $99,230 | $49,070 | $153,730 | 670 |
| Kansas | $98,110 | $113,140 | $81,900 | $173,040 | 30 |
| Delaware | $98,020 | $110,670 | $62,860 | $178,360 | 100 |
| Iowa | $95,990 | $95,770 | $50,200 | $150,580 | 170 |
| Indiana | $94,900 | $102,450 | $73,300 | $136,130 | 40 |
| North Carolina | $94,730 | $98,290 | $59,560 | $137,690 | 370 |
| Michigan | $93,350 | $99,530 | $55,460 | $161,670 | 170 |
| South Carolina | $87,920 | $95,960 | $51,950 | $139,690 | 60 |
| Nevada | $86,010 | $91,120 | $74,980 | $116,690 | 70 |
| Maine | $83,370 | $98,140 | $65,040 | $164,400 | 50 |
| New Jersey | $83,120 | $96,210 | $74,990 | $130,150 | 630 |
| Georgia | $81,420 | $97,110 | $59,400 | $151,500 | 250 |
| Texas | $80,560 | $92,000 | $46,860 | $148,310 | 380 |
| Montana | $56,750 | $66,260 | $52,070 | $82,480 | 60 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for materials scientists. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Applications Scientist or Material Science 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 Scientists compares to others in the 19 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 Scientists
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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