Materials Engineers vs Mechanical Engineers
Median pay is about $9k higher for Materials Engineers. Both usually start with the same education: bachelor's.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Materials Engineers | Mechanical Engineers |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $112,860, higher | $104,110 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $88,080, higher | $84,130 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $142,720, higher | $132,590 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +7.5% Growing fast | +11% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 1,300 | 17,800 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Bachelor's | Bachelor's |
| Difficulty modeled | 3 / 5 | 3 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Moderate | High |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 35th pct | 77th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Materials Engineers
- Science
Only Mechanical Engineers
- Mathematics
Both lean on reading comprehension, active listening, critical thinking, writing, speaking.
More comparisons
Compare Materials Engineers with
Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.