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Metallurgical Engineering

Types of Degrees Metallurgical Engineering Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Metallurgical Engineering have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	1
Bachelor’s Degree	125
Master’s Degree	29
Doctor’s Degree	9

What Metallurgical Engineering Majors Need to Know

Programs in Metallurgical Engineering build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Metallurgical Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Metallurgical 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 4.9 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills built by a Metallurgical Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

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

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Metallurgical Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.5 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.5 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Processing Information	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Metallurgical Engineering professionals:

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

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Metallurgical Engineering graduates include:

• Sanitary Engineering Teacher
• Industrial Engineering Professor
• College Faculty Member
• Aeronautical Engineering Professor
• Radio Engineering Teacher
• Mechanical Engineering Teacher
• Drafting Teacher
• Adjunct Instructor
• Electrical Engineering Professor
• Metallurgical Engineering Teacher
• College Professor
• Architectural Engineering Teacher
• Manufacturing Engineering Professor
• Electronics Engineering Professor
• Engineering Teacher

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	40.6%
Bachelor’s degree	17.5%
Post-master’s certificate	12.8%
Master’s degree	12.2%
Post-doctoral training	12.1%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.3%
First professional degree	1.2%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.0%
Postsecondary certificate	1.0%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.3%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Metallurgical Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 73.8% of Metallurgical Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	43	26.2%
Men	121	73.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	109	66.5%
Asian	3	1.8%
Hispanic or Latino	21	12.8%
Black or African American	3	1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.6%
Two or More Races	5	3.0%
Race Unknown	7	4.3%
International Students	15	9.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Metallurgical Engineering Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Metallurgical Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$74,103
4 years	$85,392
5 years	$90,051

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $90,051 — roughly 22% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Metallurgical Engineering Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Metallurgical Engineering graduates earn a median of $85,392 four years after completion — roughly 125% 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	CIP Code
Engineering	14
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	14.02
Agricultural Engineering	14.03
Architectural Engineering	14.04
Biochemical Engineering	14.43
Biological/Biosystems Engineering	14.45
Biomedical/Medical Engineering	14.05
Ceramic Sciences and Engineering	14.06
Chemical Engineering	14.07
Civil Engineering	14.08
Computer Engineering	14.09
Construction Engineering	14.33

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.