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Materials process engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a materials process engineer. Materials process engineers usually study chemical engineering, materials science and engineering, or mechanical engineering. 76% of materials process engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 608 real materials process engineer resumes to see exactly what materials process engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for materials process engineers are the University of Washington and the University of Washington.

There are also many online materials process engineer courses to help get the education required to be a materials process engineer.

There are certain materials process engineer certifications that you should consider. These materials process engineer certifications include Engineer In Training Certification (EIT) and Six Sigma Green Belt.

What education do you need to become a materials process engineer?

What degree do you need to be a materials process engineer?

The most common degree for materials process engineers is bachelor's degree, with 76% of materials process engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 17% and master's degree degree at 4%.
  • Bachelor's, 76%
  • Master's, 17%
  • Associate, 4%
  • Doctorate, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 0%

What should I major in to become a materials process engineer?

You should major in chemical engineering to become a materials process engineer. 21% of materials process engineers major in chemical engineering. Other common majors for a materials process engineer include materials science and engineering and mechanical engineering.

Most common colleges for materials process engineers

Materials process engineers often get their degrees at University of Washington, Ohio State University, and Pennsylvania State University. Here are the most common colleges for materials process engineers in the US based on their resumes.
Materials process engineer common collegePercentages
University of Washington8.20%
Ohio State University8.20%
Pennsylvania State University6.56%
University of California, Santa Barbara6.56%
San Jose State University6.56%

Best majors for materials process engineers

Best colleges for materials process engineers

The best colleges for materials process engineers are California Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

A materials process 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 process 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 process 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 process engineers

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1. Introduction to Materials Science

coursera

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. Material Extrusion

coursera

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...

3. Basics of Material selection for mechanical design engineers

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4.4
(542)

Learn about the fundamentals of materials and their selection for mechanical engineering design for design engineers...

4. Angular Material In Depth (Angular 16)

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4.5
(1,842)

In-depth guided tour to the Angular Material component library (in Angular 16)...

5. Materials Science for Advanced Technological Applications

coursera

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,...

6. Material Jetting and Stereolithography

coursera

This course looks at two photopolymer resin-based processes: material jetting and stereolithography. We walk through the build preparation, printing, and post-processing for both processes, and discuss the kinds of applications for which these processes are well suited. 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 and videos throughout various lessons that...

7. Materialize CSS From Scratch With 5 Projects

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4.6
(1,751)

Master HTML 5 & the Materialize CSS framework by building 5 real world responsive material design based themes...

8. Unreal Engine 5: One Course Solution For Material

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4.8
(832)

Learn how material works in Unreal Engine 5 through a node by node, step by step approach...

9. Mechanics of Materials IV: Deflections, Buckling, Combined Loading & Failure Theories

coursera

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...

10. Materials in Oral Health

coursera

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...

11. Process Capability Analysis

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4.7
(1,808)

A Powerful Tool Set for Understanding your Manufacturing Process Relative to Your Customers' Quality Expectations...

12. Angular Material: Ultimate Masterclass With Angular 9 (2020)

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4.5
(451)

Become A Highly Paid Angular 9 Developer And Master Angular Material & Type Script...

13. Materials Science for Technological Application

coursera

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...

14. AI Materials

coursera

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...

15. Angular (Full App) with Angular Material, Angularfire & NgRx

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4.6
(8,123)

Use Angular, Angular Material, Angularfire (+ Firebase with Firestore) and Ng Rx to build a real Angular App...

16. Business Process Mapping

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4.3
(288)

The complete guide to map any business process...

17. Android Material Design

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4.4
(463)

Introduction, Implementation and Mastering. All in one!...

18. Unlocking the Unreal Engine Material Editor

udemy
4.7
(806)

Learn how to combine textures, color data, and math to create your own custom AAA quality shaders...

19. Android Material UI Design Masterclass with Adobe Xd

udemy
4.5
(293)

Learn to Design Mobile Apps following the guidliness of Material System Design using Adobe Xd...

20. Leadership, Business Process Improvement, & Process Mapping!

udemy
4.5
(3,086)

Learn the leadership, communication, and process mapping skills to accelerate your career!...

Top 10 most affordable universities for materials process engineers

The most affordable schools for materials process engineers are University of Florida, new mexico institute of mining and technology, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for materials process 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 process 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 process engineers

The hardest universities for materials process 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 process 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 process 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 process engineers

The easiest schools for materials process 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 process 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 process 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 process engineer salary by education level

According to our data, materials process engineers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $106,871 annually. Materials process engineers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $90,755.
Materials process engineer education levelMaterials process engineer salary
Master's Degree$106,871
Bachelor's Degree$90,755

Materials process engineer education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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