Materials Scientists: Career Overview
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.
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What Tasks Do Materials Scientists Take On?
Typical responsibilities of materials scientists span:
- 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 and Knowledge
Effective materials scientists draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Analytical Scientist
- Applications Scientist
- Material Science Engineer
- Materials Research Engineer
- Materials Scientist
- Metal Alloy Scientist
- Metallurgical Engineer
- Metallurgist
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 10,106 materials scientists working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +1.1% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Materials Scientists Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $101,265 |
| Hourly median | $48.69 |
| 10th percentile | $64,421 |
| 25th percentile | $82,843 |
| 75th percentile | $119,686 |
| 90th percentile | $138,108 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $136,300 |
| California | $131,530 |
| Colorado | $126,980 |
| New York | $125,490 |
| Florida | $122,910 |
| Wisconsin | $120,520 |
| Illinois | $120,320 |
| Virginia | $118,820 |
| Utah | $118,720 |
| Massachusetts | $118,270 |
| Oklahoma | $115,840 |
| Minnesota | $114,070 |
| Washington | $110,470 |
| Maryland | $106,320 |
| Oregon | $103,980 |
| Pennsylvania | $103,060 |
| Ohio | $101,950 |
| Kansas | $98,110 |
| Delaware | $98,020 |
| Iowa | $95,990 |
| Indiana | $94,900 |
| North Carolina | $94,730 |
| Michigan | $93,350 |
| South Carolina | $87,920 |
| Nevada | $86,010 |
| Maine | $83,370 |
| New Jersey | $83,120 |
| Georgia | $81,420 |
| Texas | $80,560 |
| Montana | $56,750 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for materials scientists shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $119,136 | 14.6% | 1.03 |
| New England | $117,914 | 10.8% | 3.38 |
| Great Lakes | $108,318 | 19.0% | 1.63 |
| Plains States | $107,726 | 7.1% | 2.10 |
| Middle Atlantic | $103,987 | 23.6% | 1.83 |
| Rocky Mountains | $92,161 | 1.8% | 1.44 |
| Southwest | $85,370 | 5.6% | 0.52 |
| Southeast | $67,140 | 17.5% | 1.43 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $156,530 | 90 |
| Worcester, MA | MA | $142,900 | 100 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | UT | $135,510 | 40 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | TX | $133,530 | 30 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $131,530 | 160 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $130,440 | 360 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $126,980 | |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | NY | $126,950 | 210 |
Top Industries Employing Materials Scientists
The largest employers of materials scientists are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 3,590 | $106,130 |
| Manufacturing | 2,960 | $109,320 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 580 | $124,660 |
| Educational Services | 550 | $80,050 |
| Wholesale Trade | 450 | $96,980 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 70 | $79,680 |
Materials Scientists work in the following industries:
Software Materials Scientists Use
- Web platform development software: Hypertext markup language HTML (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: Python (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: R (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: The MathWorks MATLAB (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of materials scientists is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
Getting Started in This Career
Typical materials scientists positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers (Supplemental)
- Chemical Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Electrical Engineers (Primary-Long)
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer (Supplemental)
- Industrial Engineers (Supplemental)
- Manufacturing Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Materials Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Mechanical Engineers (Primary-Long)
Where to Study
Future materials scientists often complete programs in:
Physical Sciences
3 programs across 1 majors
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-2032.00 (Materials Scientists).
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