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Materials Sciences

Types of Degrees Materials Sciences Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Materials Sciences have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	162
Master’s Degree	286
Doctor’s Degree	202

What Materials Sciences Majors Need to Know

Studies in Materials Sciences develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Materials Sciences graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Materials Sciences emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Materials Sciences program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Materials Sciences careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Materials Sciences graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.1 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Processing Information	4.0 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Materials Sciences professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	—
Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management	Project management software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Materials Sciences graduates include:

• Instructor
• Associate Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Assistant Professor
• Lecturer
• College Faculty Member
• College Professor
• University Faculty Member
• Professor
• Manufacturing Engineering Professor
• Engineering Fundamentals Instructor
• Chemical Engineering Professor
• Adjunct Engineering Instructor
• Electrical Engineering Professor
• Civil Engineering Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Materials Sciences graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	30.9%
Doctoral degree	23.3%
Master’s degree	13.4%
Post-doctoral training	10.7%
Post-master’s certificate	6.1%
Postsecondary certificate	3.7%
High school diploma or equivalent	3.7%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.3%
Some college courses	2.7%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.4%
First professional degree	0.6%
Less than a high school diploma	0.3%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Materials Sciences?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 64.5% of Materials Sciences degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	231	35.5%
Men	419	64.5%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Materials Sciences graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	226	34.8%
Asian	94	14.5%
Hispanic or Latino	36	5.5%
Black or African American	11	1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.2%
Two or More Races	16	2.5%
Race Unknown	14	2.2%
International Students	251	38.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Materials Sciences Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Materials Sciences 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	$72,216
4 years	$78,243
5 years	$89,182

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $89,182 — roughly 23% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Materials Sciences Programs

Distance learning is reported by IPEDS for Materials Sciences. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	1	4

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Materials Sciences Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Materials Sciences graduates earn a median of $78,243 four years after completion — roughly 106% 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
Physical Sciences	46,659
Chemistry	19,434
Physics	12,910
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences	7,622
Physical Sciences, General	2,661
Astronomy and Astrophysics	1,580
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology	1,341
Physical Sciences, Other	422
Physics and Astronomy	39
PHYSICAL SCIENCES	—

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.