Architecture & Engineering
Materials Engineers
SOC 17-2131
Develop and test metals, ceramics, plastics, and composites for new uses.
The job
Median pay
$113k
$88k to $143k typical range
Outlook, 2025 to 2035
Growing fast
+7.5% projected
Openings a year
1k
BLS projection
Typical education
Bachelor's
Our model
AI displacement risk
Moderate
How much of this job AI may do instead of the person
Works with AI
5/100
AI alongside the person rather than instead of them
AI exposure
35th pct
More exposed than 35% of occupations · modeled estimate · 63rd pct in Microsoft's data
Future-proof
63/100
Key skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Science
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Speaking
Pay and jobs by state
BLS OEWS May 2025, 51 states. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's. A tilde marks a figure estimated from the parent occupation group where BLS publishes none.
| State | Jobs | Per 1,000 | vs national | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 3,020 | 0.2 | 1.1× | $128k |
| Ohio | 1,790 | 0.3 | 2.2× | $107k |
| Texas | 1,440 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $118k |
| Massachusetts | 1,360 | 0.4 | 2.5× | $114k |
| Washington | 1,000 | 0.3 | 1.9× | $140k |
| Colorado | 810 | 0.3 | 1.9× | $124k |
| Michigan | 810 | 0.2 | 1.3× | $94k |
| Maryland | 740 | 0.3 | 1.8× | $141k |
| Pennsylvania | 720 | 0.1 | 0.8× | $98k |
| Georgia | 700 | 0.1 | 1.0× | $101k |
All 51 states
| State | Jobs | Per 1,000 | vs national | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 690 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $119k |
| Alabama | 650 | 0.3 | 2.1× | $108k |
| North Carolina | 640 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $104k |
| Virginia | 620 | 0.2 | 1.0× | $117k |
| South Carolina | 600 | 0.3 | 1.8× | $122k |
| New York | 590 | 0.1 | 0.4× | $126k |
| Arizona | 580 | 0.2 | 1.2× | $107k |
| Indiana | 570 | 0.2 | 1.2× | $101k |
| Utah | 460 | 0.3 | 1.8× | $88k |
| New Mexico | 450 | 0.5 | 3.5× | $166k |
| Connecticut | 420 | 0.2 | 1.7× | $122k |
| Tennessee | 330 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $92k |
| Missouri | 300 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $99k |
| Illinois | 290 | 0.0 | 0.3× | $127k |
| Kentucky | 280 | 0.1 | 1.0× | $101k |
| Wisconsin | 280 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $96k |
| Kansas | 270 | 0.2 | 1.3× | $100k |
| New Jersey | 260 | 0.1 | 0.4× | $107k |
| Oklahoma | 240 | 0.1 | 1.0× | $100k |
| Iowa | 200 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $64k |
| Nebraska | 160 | 0.2 | 1.1× | $98k |
| Minnesota | 150 | 0.1 | 0.3× | $106k |
| Oregon | 120 | 0.1 | 0.4× | $123k |
| Washington DC | 103 | 0.1 | 1.0× | $142k~ |
| Maine | 100 | 0.2 | 1.1× | $97k |
| Mississippi | 100 | 0.1 | 0.6× | $79k |
| Nevada | 100 | 0.1 | 0.4× | $99k |
| Arkansas | 90 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $104k |
| Idaho | 90 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $106k |
| Louisiana | 90 | 0.0 | 0.3× | $129k |
| Montana | 90 | 0.2 | 1.2× | $76k |
| West Virginia | 83 | 0.1 | 0.8× | $96k~ |
| Hawaii | 81 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $111k~ |
| Alaska | 70 | 0.2 | 1.5× | $123k |
| New Hampshire | 70 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $101k |
| South Dakota | 57 | 0.1 | 0.8× | $93k~ |
| North Dakota | 52 | 0.1 | 0.8× | $97k~ |
| Rhode Island | 50 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $87k |
| Vermont | 49 | 0.2 | 1.1× | $101k~ |
| Delaware | 40 | 0.1 | 0.6× | $131k |
| Wyoming | 40 | 0.1 | 1.0× | $111k |
Top metro areas
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA1,250 jobs · $125k median
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH1,020 jobs · $111k median
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA820 jobs · $156k median
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV660 jobs · $141k median
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX560 jobs · $123k median
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA550 jobs · $157k median
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA530 jobs · $101k median
- Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO480 jobs · $126k median
Explore the rankings
Explore Materials Engineers interactively →Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.