Headline risk
5%
Low RiskMaterials engineers
United States AI Work Index tracks this occupation on the shared structural baseline and then layers on local demand resilience, wages, and confidence.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Evaluate materials and develop machinery and processes to manufacture materials for use in products that must meet specialized design and performance specifications. Develop new uses for known materials. Includes those engineers working with composite materials or specializing in one type of material, such as graphite, metal and metal alloys, ceramics and glass, plastics and polymers, and naturally occurring materials. Includes metallurgists and metallurgical engineers, ceramic engineers, and welding engineers.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 0% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 108,310
Employment 2024
23.0K
Projected Change (2024–34)
5.7%
Openings (2024–34)
1.5K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Employment of materials engineers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Analyze product failure data and laboratory test results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions. AI use: 0%
- 2. Guide technical staff in developing materials for specific uses in projected products or devices. AI use: 0%
- 3. Design and direct the testing or control of processing procedures. AI use: 0%
- 4. Monitor material performance, and evaluate its deterioration. AI use: 0%
- 5. Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives. AI use: 0%
- 6. Supervise the work of technologists, technicians, and other engineers and scientists. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 40.8 · 56K employed
Under 25: 5% · 25–54: 73% · 55+: 23%
Related
No direct US role match is available yet for this occupation.
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Mapping quality
title_match · employment series present
Narrative & sources
Materials engineers develop, process, and test materials used to create a wide range of products.
Materials engineers work in offices, factories, and research and development laboratories. Most work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week.
Materials engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering or a related field. Employers also value practical experience, which students sometimes gain through internships.
The median annual wage for materials engineers was $108,310 in May 2024.
Employment of materials engineers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
Published limitations
This page shows the local country layer, not realised individual job outcomes. The global structural baseline is shared across countries; only the local demand and wage layer changes here.
Built from O*NET occupation descriptions, task statements, technology skills, work context, Job Zones, Anthropic task penetration, BLS OEWS wages, BLS projection tables, BLS ORS requirements, BLS OOH narrative content, BLS skills data, and BLS CPS occupation age tables.