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Materials development engineer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a materials development engineer. Materials development engineers usually study chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, or materials science and engineering. 69% of materials development engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 245 real materials development engineer resumes to see exactly what materials development engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for materials development engineers are the Pennsylvania State University and the Pennsylvania State University.
There are also many online materials development engineer courses to help get the education required to be a materials development engineer.
What education do you need to become a materials development engineer?
What degree do you need to be a materials development engineer?
- Bachelor's, 69%
- Master's, 18%
- Associate, 6%
- Doctorate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a materials development engineer?
- Chemical Engineering, 19%
- Chemistry, 9%
- Other Majors, 51%
Most common colleges for materials development engineers
| Materials development engineer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University | 13.33% |
| University of Massachusetts - Lowell | 8.33% |
| Michigan State University | 6.67% |
| Clemson University | 6.67% |
| Ohio State University | 6.67% |
Best majors for materials development engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chemical Engineering | 19.4% |
| 2 | Mechanical Engineering | 11.0% |
| 3 | Materials Science And Engineering | 9.7% |
| 4 | Chemistry | 9.0% |
| 5 | Business | 6.5% |
Best colleges for materials development engineers
The best colleges for materials development engineers are California Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
A materials development engineer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for materials development engineers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become materials development engineers.
1. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
4. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
7. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
8. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
9. Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$52,930
Enrollment
5,030
10. Missouri University of Science and Technology
Rolla, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$9,440
Enrollment
6,785
20 best online courses for materials development engineers
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1. Introduction to Materials Science
Periods of our civilization have names associated with materials – stone age, bronze age, iron age and the silicon age. Materials impact all aspects of your daily life and will continue to do so in the future. The more we understand materials, the more we imagine the future with fantastic devices and advancements enabled by materials. This initial specialization introduces a limited number of material science and engineering concepts. The topic presentations are at the concept level without...
2. AI Materials
Learn about the materials that have advanced the performance of artificial intelligence, and the machine learning models that could help accelerate the design and development of novel materials. This course defines artificial intelligence (AI) as a machine to which some or all of the functions of the human brain have been delegated. It highlights the need, and explains in an easy-to-understand way how machine learning from artificial intelligence can dramatically accelerate the development of...
3. Angular Material In Depth (Angular 16)
In-depth guided tour to the Angular Material component library (in Angular 16)...
4. Basics of Material selection for mechanical design engineers
Learn about the fundamentals of materials and their selection for mechanical engineering design for design engineers...
5. Materials in Oral Health
The drive for development of new and novel oral biomaterials has never been more important with many people using oral biomaterials today and seeing their benefits in restoring and improving their oral health for a more enjoyable lifestyle. The unique properties of biomaterials such as titanium (Ti), zirconia (ZrO2) and various polymeric materials have made them materials of choice in oral health: dental implants, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and even regenerative medicine. Oral biomaterials...
6. Mechanics of Materials IV: Deflections, Buckling, Combined Loading & Failure Theories
This course explores the analysis and design of engineering structures considering factors of deflection, buckling, combined loading, & failure theories ------------------------------------------------- The copyright of all content and materials in this course are owned by either the Georgia Tech Research Corporation or Dr. Wayne Whiteman. By participating in the course or using the content or materials, whether in whole or in part, you agree that you may download and use any content and/or...
7. Materialize CSS From Scratch With 5 Projects
Master HTML 5 & the Materialize CSS framework by building 5 real world responsive material design based themes...
8. Angular Material: Ultimate Masterclass With Angular 9 (2020)
Become A Highly Paid Angular 9 Developer And Master Angular Material & Type Script...
9. Materials Science for Advanced Technological Applications
This specialization extends upon the initial introduction specialization, and like the other specialization, it introduces a limited number of new materials science and engineering concepts. Presentations are at the concept level without being marred in heavy mathematics. Topics in this specialization topic include strengthening of metal, polymers, ceramic materials, and composite. Some of the position titles that may benefit from this course include Materials Engineer, Chemical Engineer,...
10. Materials Science for Technological Application
This Specialization will provide you with an introductory knowledge and understanding of key concepts in Materials Science. Periods of our civilization have names associated with materials – stone age, bronze age, iron age, and the silicon age. Materials impact all aspects of your daily life and will continue to do so in the future. The more we understand materials, the more we imagine the future with fantastic devices and advancements enabled by materials. This initial specialization...
11. Unreal Engine 5: One Course Solution For Material
Learn how material works in Unreal Engine 5 through a node by node, step by step approach...
12. Angular (Full App) with Angular Material, Angularfire & NgRx
Use Angular, Angular Material, Angularfire (+ Firebase with Firestore) and Ng Rx to build a real Angular App...
13. Circular Economy - Sustainable Materials Management
This course looks at where important materials in products we use every day come from and how these materials can be used more efficiently, longer, and in closed loops. This is the aim of the Circular Economy, but it doesn’t happen on its own. It is the result of choices and strategies by suppliers, designers, businesses, policymakers and all of us as consumers. In addition to providing many cases of managing materials for sustainability, the course also teaches skills and tools for analyzing...
14. Material Extrusion
This course is a deep dive into the most commonly used method of additive manufacturing: material extrusion. We specifically examine the fused deposition modeling process, and then look at the related composite extrusion process which can extrude a continuous fiber (such as carbon fiber) along with a thermoplastic. The necessary elements for each course are lecture videos, knowledge checks, and project completion. For additional information on certain topics, I've included supplemental readings...
15. Android Material Design
Introduction, Implementation and Mastering. All in one!...
16. Product Development & Systems Engineering
The complete Product Development & Systems Engineering course! Earn 25 contact hours AND prepare to take the INCOSE Exam...
17. Healthier Materials and Sustainable Building
In the Healthier Materials and Sustainable Building specialization, you learn about healthier building materials, exploring subjects ranging from classification of toxic chemicals to new green innovations. You start by investigating the intersection of building materials and human health. Then, you learn how chemistry and toxicology affect the built world. Next, you examine design specifications from a healthier materials perspective. Finally, you employ cutting-edge practices to execute a...
18. Android Material UI Design Masterclass with Adobe Xd
Learn to Design Mobile Apps following the guidliness of Material System Design using Adobe Xd...
19. SAP MM Materials Management (beginner to expert level)
Master SAP Materials Management module with practical implementation steps. Prepare and crack SAP MM Certification exam...
20. Angular 15 Masterclass with TypeScript, Firebase, & Material
Master and build reactive Single Page Applications(SPA) from scratch using Angular (formerly Angular 2 or Angular JS)...
Top 10 most affordable universities for materials development engineers
The most affordable schools for materials development engineers are University of Florida, new mexico institute of mining and technology, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for materials development engineers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for materials development engineers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
7. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
8. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
9. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for materials development engineers
The hardest universities for materials development engineers to get into are California Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for materials development engineers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for materials development engineers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,545
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
8. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
9. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
10. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,465
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for materials development engineers
The easiest schools for materials development engineers to get into are The University of Texas at El Paso, cleveland state university, and washington state university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a materials development engineer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for materials development engineers.
1. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
2. Cleveland State University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,111
3. Washington State University
Pullman, WA • Private
Admissions rate
77%
SAT average
1,123
4. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
5. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
6. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,111
7. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
8. North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,170
9. University of Nevada - Reno
Reno, NV • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,172
10. Iowa State University of Science and Technology
Ames, IA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,219
Average materials development engineer salary by education level
| Materials development engineer education level | Materials development engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $99,955 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $85,924 |
Materials development engineer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025