Materials Science major
Materials Science: courses, careers, and where to study
Materials Science studies why solids behave as they do, training you to relate the atomic and microstructural makeup of metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites to their properties.
A materials science program treats the solid itself as the object of study, asking why a metal yields, why a ceramic cracks, and why a polymer creeps. Coursework grounds you in crystallography, phase diagrams, diffusion, and the thermodynamics and kinetics that govern how microstructure forms, then connects those structures to mechanical, electrical, thermal, and optical behavior. You learn to read and interpret characterization data from tools such as optical and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and tensile and hardness testing. Where materials engineering centers on selecting and processing materials so a given part performs and lasts, and where chemistry focuses on molecules and reactions and physics on fundamental laws, this field sits between them: the science of structure-property relationships across whole classes of solids, often pursued through laboratory experiments and modeling.
Most students enter through a bachelor's degree, and many roles in research and development favor a master's or doctorate, so plan early if a research path interests you. Undergraduate study usually includes laboratory sequences, and capstone or research projects that build experience with sample preparation, failure analysis, and instrumentation. There is no single license for materials scientists, though those working in product development alongside engineers may later pursue engineering credentials, and labs that run regulated testing may follow ASTM or ISO standards and seek accreditation. Graduate study, internships, and time in industry, national laboratories, or academic groups shape where careers go. Pay, demand, and the mix of bench, modeling, and analysis work vary by sector and region; a degree is preparation for the field, not a guarantee of a specific role or salary.
In federal data for the closely related occupation of materials scientists, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 2024 median wage of $104,160 and projects employment to grow about 4.9% from 2024 to 2034; a bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for that occupation. National figures are occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages or graduate outcomes.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Materials Science maps to CIP 40.1001, Materials Science, within the PHYSICAL SCIENCES family. The official definition:
A program that focuses on the general application of mathematical and scientific principles to the analysis and evaluation of the characteristics and behavior of solids, including internal structure, chemical properties, transport and energy flow properties, thermodynamics of solids, stress and failure factors, chemical transformation states and processes, compound materials, and research on industrial applications of specific materials.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What credential Materials Science is awarded as
Of the 621 Materials Science credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2023-24:
- Certificate1%8
- Bachelor's26%161
- Graduate73%452
CampusPin does not have enough states reporting this field to say whether the mix changes from state to state. See the full study.
Credentials conferred in 2023-24, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.
What you'll study
- Crystallography and crystal structures, defects, and how atomic arrangement governs the properties of solids
- Phase diagrams, phase transformations, diffusion, and the thermodynamics and kinetics of microstructure formation
- Mechanical behavior of materials: elasticity, plasticity, fracture, fatigue, and creep, with tensile and hardness testing
- Characterization using X-ray diffraction, optical and scanning electron microscopy, and spectroscopy
- Thermal analysis methods such as differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis
- Structure and behavior of metals, ceramics, polymers, semiconductors, and composite materials
- Electronic, magnetic, and optical properties of solids and the underlying solid-state physics
- Failure analysis, fractography, and the interpretation of degradation, corrosion, and wear in service
- Computational materials methods and laboratory practice in sample preparation and reporting
Typical careers
- Materials Scientist
- Materials Characterization Specialist
- Research and Development Scientist
- Failure Analysis Analyst
- Laboratory Technician (Materials Testing)
- Quality and Reliability Analyst
Typical salary range: Early-career wages vary by employer, region, and experience (BLS, 2024 materials scientists median $104,160).Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.
Related occupations
Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Materials Science, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.
| Occupation | Median pay | Openings / yr | Projected change | Most entrants hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $167,740 | 14,500 | +3.8% | Bachelor's degree |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | $60,130 | 10,600 | +3.5% | Associate's degree |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $106,120 | 4,100 | +8.1% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Materials Scientists | $104,160 | 600 | +4.9% | Bachelor's degree |
Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 4 of these 4 occupations report a median wage.
“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Materials Science does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.
Before you commit to a Materials Science major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Materials Science program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Materials Science department
- Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
- What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
- What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
- Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?
Ask current students & check the curriculum
- How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
- What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
- Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
- How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Find a Materials Science program
CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.
Colleges that awarded the most Materials Science credentials
Largest by credentials conferred in 2023-24. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- University of California-BerkeleyCA · 111
- Carnegie Mellon UniversityPA · 85
- Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusPA · 57
- University of California-Santa BarbaraCA · 46
- University of DelawareDE · 34
- Columbia University in the City of New YorkNY · 27
- Rochester Institute of TechnologyNY · 23
- University of ArizonaAZ · 22
- University at BuffaloNY · 16
- University of Southern CaliforniaCA · 15
- Texas A & M University-College StationTX · 14
- University of California-RiversideCA · 13
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2023-24. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Where Materials Science credentials were awarded
One state has a distinct enough set of Materials Science colleges to be worth its own page.
Search Materials Science schools by state
- Materials Science in California
- Materials Science in Florida
- Materials Science in Georgia
- Materials Science in Illinois
- Materials Science in Maryland
- Materials Science in Massachusetts
- Materials Science in New York
- Materials Science in North Carolina
- Materials Science in Pennsylvania
- Materials Science in Texas
Related majors
Materials Engineering
Materials engineering applies chemistry, physics, and engineering to choose, modify, and test metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites for real products.
Chemistry
Chemistry studies matter and its transformations, preparing graduates for pharmaceutical, materials, energy, environmental, and biotech careers, plus medical and graduate school.
Physics
Physics studies the fundamental laws of matter, energy, and motion, a foundational major for engineering, computing, finance, and graduate research.
Chemical Engineering
Chemical Engineering applies chemistry, physics, and math to design large-scale processes that turn raw materials into fuels, medicines, and materials, for students who like lab science and design.
Biochemistry
Biochemistry studies the chemistry of living systems, bridging biology and chemistry for students aiming at research, biotech, pharmaceutical, or medical and graduate pathways.
Put this major in context
The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Materials Science degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.
Explore Science & Research careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
Explore Management careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
How one major leads to many careers
Why a single Materials Science degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.
Why a median wage is not a starting salary
How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.
When accreditation and licensure matter
How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Materials Science path before you enroll.
Does a pricier college pay off?
How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.
Does picking a major narrow your college list?
Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.
Certificate or degree?
What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.
How this guide is sourced
This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.