Material Science and Engineering
Your clothes. Your water bottle. The screen you’re looking at right now. They're all made from materials.
Now imagine if you could make these materials stronger, safer and more sustainable. Sound interesting? Then this is the major for you.
Whether you want to design longer-lasting batteries, more comfortable contact lenses, or solar panels that can be made without toxic materials, this is where you start. It's the perfect program for people who love chemistry and data—and want a major that can (literally) touch all of our lives.
What will I learn?
Most students start with classes and labs in physics, calculus and chemistry. As you get into your junior and senior years, you'll typically take more courses focused on thermodynamics, kinetics, properties of materials and methods for characterizing materials. This is a data-intensive program—the first of its kind in the United States—which means you’ll also learn how to use data science, machine learning and statistics to speed up the process of designing and developing materials.
What can I do with a material science and engineering degree?
Materials are everywhere, which means you'll find career opportunities in a wide variety of industries and fields. Whether you want to work in aerospace, biotechnology, energy, health care or other areas, you’ll likely find plenty of ways to use your degree.
From research and teaching to working at a start-up or government agency, here are just a few of the things you can do:
- Develop hydrogels that can help wounds heal faster after surgery.
- Design longer-lasting, more affordable batteries for electric vehicles and household storage.
- Improve the accuracy of biosensor devices like glucose monitors.
- Create tools that let researchers study the shape of molecules in real time.
- Use machine learning to quickly review journals and gather insights about safer chemical manufacturing processes.
By the Numbers
Check out salary ranges and career outlooks straight from the U.S. Department of Labor to see the return on investment for your degree.
| Occupation Title | Mean Annual Wage | Mean Hourly Wage | Future Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $113,360.00 | N/A | Rapid Growth |
| Cost Estimators | $165,600.00 | $79.62 | |
| Materials Engineers | $141,180.00 | $67.88 | Rapid Growth |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $65,040.00 | $31.27 | Rapid Growth |
Data provided by the and DOL data from 2024.