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Polymer & Plastics Engineering

Instructional content is defined in code 14.3201.

Types of Degrees Polymer & Plastics Engineering Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Polymer & Plastics Engineering can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	109
Master’s Degree	87
Doctor’s Degree	68

What Polymer & Plastics Engineering Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Polymer & Plastics Engineering develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Polymer & Plastics Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Polymer & Plastics Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 6.0 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.6 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Polymer & Plastics Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Polymer & Plastics Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Polymer & Plastics Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.4 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.4 / 7
Processing Information	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Polymer & Plastics Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	—
Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management	Project management software	—
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Dassault Systemes CATIA	Computer aided design CAD software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Polymer & Plastics Engineering graduates include:

• Mechanical Engineering Professor
• Engineering Instructor
• Aeronautical Engineering Teacher
• Engineering Teacher
• Plastics Engineering Teacher
• University Faculty Member
• Adjunct Instructor
• Engineering Professor
• Architectural Engineering Teacher
• Circuits and Robotics Instructor
• Hydraulics Teacher
• Marine Engineering Professor
• Electronics Engineering Professor
• Applied Mechanics Teacher
• Aeronautics Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Polymer & Plastics Engineering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	36.6%
Bachelor’s degree	24.8%
Post-master’s certificate	12.0%
Master’s degree	11.0%
Post-doctoral training	10.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.2%
First professional degree	1.1%
Postsecondary certificate	0.9%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Polymer & Plastics Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 72.7% of Polymer & Plastics Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	72	27.3%
Men	192	72.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Polymer & Plastics Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	166	62.9%
Asian	15	5.7%
Hispanic or Latino	13	4.9%
Black or African American	7	2.7%
Two or More Races	7	2.7%
Race Unknown	7	2.7%
International Students	49	18.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Polymer & Plastics Engineering Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Polymer & Plastics Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$74,032
4 years	$85,028
5 years	$100,025

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $100,025 — roughly 35% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Polymer & Plastics Engineering Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Polymer & Plastics Engineering graduates earn a median of $85,028 four years after completion — roughly 124% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Engineering	197,615
Mechanical Engineering	42,939
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering	26,760
Civil Engineering	20,005
Computer Engineering	19,986
Biomedical/Medical Engineering	13,914
Engineering, General	13,411
Chemical Engineering	10,939
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	9,596
Industrial Engineering	8,533
Systems Engineering	3,956
Engineering, Other	3,529

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.