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Metallurgical Engineering Major

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Metallurgical Engineering

139 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
27 Master's Degrees Annually
#277 in Popularity
$113,680 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Metallurgical Engineering Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many metallurgical engineering graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree 139
Master’s Degree 27
Doctor’s Degree 12
Graduate Certificate 1

What Metallurgical Engineering Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to metallurgical engineering and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Metallurgical Engineering Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in metallurgical engineering should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

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  • Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
  • Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Skills for Metallurgical Engineering Majors

A major in metallurgical engineering prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

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  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for Metallurgical Engineering Majors

As you progress with your metallurgical engineering degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

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  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

What Can You Do With a Metallurgical Engineering Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with metallurgical engineering:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Architectural and Engineering Managers 5.5% $140,760
Engineering Professors 14.7% $101,720
Materials Engineers 1.9% $92,390

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Metallurgical Engineering?

139 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
33% Percent Women
24% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 139 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering in 2021, making it rank #277 in popularity. This major tends to be male dominated. About 67% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of metallurgical engineering majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 4
Black or African American 0
Hispanic or Latino 24
White 92
International Students 10
Other Races/Ethnicities 9

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Metallurgical Engineering, too. About 7.2% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • China
  • India
  • South Korea
  • Mexico
  • Saudi Arabia

How Much Do Metallurgical Engineering Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

The median starting salary of students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering was $68,679 per year. These stats come from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $65,134 (25th percentile) and $70,693 (75th percentile).

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It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in metallurgical engineering, it does not mean that they are working in a job related to their degree.

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $96,930 to $148,970 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to metallurgical engineering. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Median Salary for a Metallurgical Engineering Major  ( 96930 to 148970 )
0K
250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some degrees associated with metallurgical engineering may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for metallurgical engineering careers below.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 1.7%
Bachelor’s Degree 45.5%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. 5.1%
Master’s Degree 27.1%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. 2.9%
Doctoral Degree 12.8%
Post-Doctoral Training 4.9%

Online Metallurgical Engineering Programs

In 2020-2021, 12 schools offered a metallurgical engineering program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level Colleges Offering Programs Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 0 0
Certificate (2-4 Years) 0 0
Associate’s Degree 0 0
Bachelor’s Degree 2 1
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 10 0
Post-Master’s 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 6 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in Metallurgical Engineering Worth It?

The median salary for a metallurgical engineering grad is $113,680 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 185% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,475,600 after 20 years!

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You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to metallurgical engineering.

Major Number of Grads
Mechanical Engineering 46,178
Electrical Engineering 28,844
Civil Engineering 21,388
Computer Engineering 17,987
Chemical Engineering 12,917
Biomedical Engineering 12,811
General Engineering 11,796
Industrial Engineering 9,072
Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering 8,001
Systems Engineering 3,904
Materials Engineering 3,415
Other Engineering 2,760
Environmental Engineering 2,759
Operations Research 1,698
Agricultural Engineering 1,472
Engineering Science 1,454
Electrical and Computer Engineering. 1,378
Petroleum Engineering 1,256
Robotics Engineering 1,243
Architectural Engineering 1,012
Engineering Physics 994
Manufacturing Engineering 947
Construction Engineering 878
Nuclear Engineering 864
Marine Engineering 445
Biological Engineering 410
Polymer & Plastics Engineering 360
Geoscience Engineering 325
Mining Engineering 314
Textile Engineering 310
Ocean Engineering 285
Engineering Mechanics 272
Energy Systems Engineering 138
Biochemical Engineering 109
Ceramic Engineering 94
Surveying Engineering 73
Electromechanical Engineering 45
Forest Engineering 41
Paper Science & Engineering 27
Engineering Chemistry 13

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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