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Job outlook for materials scientists in the United States
Are materials scientist jobs in demand?
Materials scientist job and salary trends over time
Materials scientist jobs over time
Materials scientist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,891 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,995 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,899 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 3,340 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 3,228 | 0.00% |
Average materials scientist salary over time
Materials scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $84,459 | $40.61 | +2.7% |
| 2025 | $82,209 | $39.52 | --3.0% |
| 2024 | $84,748 | $40.74 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | $84,519 | $40.63 | +0.1% |
| 2022 | $84,434 | $40.59 | +9.3% |
Materials scientist jobs by state
Most common states for materials scientists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,348 | 20% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 161 | 17% |
| 3 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 893 | 15% |
| 4 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,099 | 13% |
| 5 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 105 | 12% |
| 6 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,034 | 11% |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 153 | 11% |
| 8 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 86 | 11% |
| 9 | Vermont | 623,657 | 66 | 11% |
| 10 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 979 | 10% |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,170 | 9% |
| 12 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 383 | 9% |
| 13 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 306 | 9% |
| 14 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 266 | 9% |
| 15 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 184 | 9% |
| 16 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 99 | 9% |
| 17 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 97 | 9% |
| 18 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 60 | 9% |
| 19 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,010 | 8% |
| 20 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 46 | 8% |
Most common cities for materials scientists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mentor | 2 | 4% | $81,141 |
| 2 | Lewiston | 1 | 3% | $85,730 |
| 3 | Lexington | 1 | 3% | $72,377 |
| 4 | Newark | 1 | 3% | $67,240 |
| 5 | Euclid | 1 | 2% | $80,917 |
| 6 | Berkeley | 1 | 1% | $105,772 |
| 7 | Santa Clara | 1 | 1% | $105,021 |
| 8 | Denver | 2 | 0% | $84,022 |
| 9 | Phoenix | 1 | 0% | $75,197 |
| 10 | San Francisco | 1 | 0% | $105,807 |
Materials Scientist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of materials scientist experts
University of California, Santa Barbara
Purdue University
Quinnipiac University
Arizona State University
Iowa State University
Synedgen
The College of New Jersey
Stevenson University
University of Wisconsin - Platteville
Doverspike Consulting/HR LItehouse
Robert Morris University
Morgan State University
University of Maine
University of Massachusetts
Omar Saleh
Chair, Materials DepartmentUniversity of California, Santa Barbara
Materials Sciences
What general advice would you give to a Materials Scientist?
Omar Saleh: Technical skills related to the subject areas mentioned above will become important and prevalent. Computational skills specifically are more important now than ten years ago, and this will stay the same in the next 3-5 years.
What Materials Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Omar Saleh: It is widely agreed that the importance of materials science will only grow in the next several decades, so it is a great time to get started in the field. Growth is expected because materials science is posed to address many of the most challenging problems in society.
What will help Materials Scientists increase their earning potential?
Omar Saleh: I think there is a clear answer to this, but I don't really think it is the correct long-term decision. The short term answer is to develop machine-learning/AI skills, as those skills are very highly-valued at the moment.
What general advice would you give to a Materials Scientist?
Nikhilesh Chawla: Prioritize your education. Having a Bachelor’s is great but you will be able to do much more interesting work AND have a higher salary with a Master’s or PhD.
What Materials Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Nikhilesh Chawla: Make sure you are passionate about what you do. Great careers should not feel like a ‘job’. Try to learn as much as you can, be curious, and engaged. Networking with folks in your field and choosing 1-2 or mentors to help guide you would be good too.
What will help Materials Scientists increase their earning potential?
Nikhilesh Chawla: Materials Science and Engineering has changed quite a bit in the last few years. In a lot of companies, it used to be a lot of fabrication of a material followed by testing. Now, we have amazing microscopy as well as computation tools. AI is becoming an important part of our field, as is x-ray microscopy to nondestructively study materials under stress, thermal, or electrical conditions.
Lisa Cuchara Ph.D.
Professor of Biomedical SciencesQuinnipiac University
Microbiological Sciences And Immunology
What Materials Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Lisa Cuchara Ph.D.: The first and foremost would be Critical Thinking. We live in a world where facts can be easily acquired, sometimes even by asking Siri/Alexa/ChatGPT/Google/etc. But critical thinking is timeless and priceless. I can ask anyone on the street what xyz is and they can look it up, but can they provide advice or interpret.
Also being a good steward towards science and being willing and able to communicate not just with peers as we are trained, but also with the public, the politicians, the board members. John Holdren*, stated that Scientists should be tithing at least 10 percent of their time to public service ... including activism. In the ever growing science denialism that is happening in our country being able to communicate science with the public is important. As Peter Hotaz states, "Anti-science propaganda is "killing Americans in unprecedented numbers,""
*Holdren is an American scientist who served as the senior advisor to President Barack Obama on science and technology issues through his roles as assistant to the president for science and technology, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and co-chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and a Research Professor in Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government
Zippia Expert
What skills stand out on Materials Scientist resumes?
Zippia Expert : They depend on the company and job they apply to
What soft skills should all Materials Scientists possess?
Zippia Expert : Working in a team and communication, in my opinion.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Materials Scientists?
Zippia Expert : I would guess it depends on the job our students are seeking. There are many industries they fit in, such as semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.
What skills will help Materials Scientists earn the most?
Zippia Expert : I think most jobs for our MS students pay about the same. The differences are not tied to skills but to fit between applicant and job.
How have salaries changed over time for Materials Scientists?
Patricia Rankin: Salaries have been trending up - but there is a wide range and it depends on the level you look at e.g Bachelor's degrees or PhD's . If you have a PhD you earn more on average but the range is also larger (the AIP has some good statistics here e.g. https://www.aip.org/taxonomy/term/152 ). Physicists are generally at the higher end of pay scales and competitive with most engineering fields (not computer science). Physics graduates are problem solvers with excellent quantitative skills that puts them in high demand which helps protect salaries.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Materials Scientist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. L. Scott Chumbley: I just think companies will be somewhat reluctant to hire initially. Once things get moving again, I'd like to think there will be more openings because, I think, a lot of people have retired early because of the virus.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Materials Scientists in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. L. Scott Chumbley: Obviously, now that everybody has been forced to use video conferencing and networking, I think companies will use that more to save money on travel.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Materials Scientists in the next 5 years?
Dr. L. Scott Chumbley: It depends. Trump cut a lot of regulations that just killed businesses and did many things to strengthen U.S. manufacturing. As long as those changes aren't reversed, I think we'll see a boom in hiring. If the new administration decides to return to how things were before Trump, I think growth will be slow, if at all.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Materials Scientist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Shenda Baker: The primary job market for 2020 materials scientists moving into their careers, my crystal ball reveals, will still be strong. Unlike retail, people are still purchasing and innovating goods. However, the delivery mechanisms are changing.
This past year has seen people and markets looking for new, more sustainable materials for packaging and storage, for communications and marketing, and for transportation and shipping. The research enterprise is generally strong, but many smaller companies are conserving cash until they can see the corner on COVID. Companies/industries that are adaptive and able to identify spaces into which they fill a need will be the strong ones out the other side. Looks like in the era of COVID, size matters, and having the ability to absorb losses in unanticipated ways is helpful.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Materials Scientists in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Shenda Baker: Obviously, anything that allows people to have flexibility in work location, as well as much more widespread use of electronic notebooks for record keeping, will be more prevalent. Growing and continued focus on sustainable, full life-cycle-managed products.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Materials Scientists?
Dr. Shenda Baker: Certainly, how we work will continue to change. Graduates will need to be comfortable working in more controlled lab environments, more time spent on cleaning and self-awareness, communicating remotely, and being self-motivated. Competition for jobs will only get more challenging, so materials science grads will need to be able to demonstrate their willingness to work hard, to learn, to act without daily oversight, and to communicate very effectively with supervisors or staff through whatever mechanisms are available. That is what will make them more attractive.
Research and lab work will not go away and will remain critical in addressing health and lifestyle choices we all will make in light of the pandemic and its future impact. Maintaining or changing the nature of collaborative creativity and the spontaneity of a coffee break, drink with colleagues, or sofa-chats at a conference will be hard, but our grads will figure out new ways to do it.
Janet Gray Ph.D.
Professor and Department ChairThe College of New Jersey
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Materials Scientists in the next 3-5 years?
Janet Gray Ph.D.: WGSS graduates enter every employment sector, so technological trends for our graduates will follow various sectors' directions. Among the most common careers for WGSS graduates are law, social work, and education. The capacity to work remotely and do so effectively--may depend more on having access to sound technology and good training, and devising more effective ways to use the tools available, than on any new technology becoming available.
What experience really stands out on Materials Scientist resumes?
Neil Rothman Ph.D.: Above all, demonstrating the ability to apply what you have learned to a practical problem is the best evidence that a candidate will contribute to an organization. Therefore, projects that were undertaken by the candidate (especially team projects) should be highlighted and must include specific contributions made to the project. Since the purpose of the resume is to get an interview, the candidate should have a solid command of the project's overall goals and explain how their contribution was directly related to those goals. The ability to function well on a team is also crucial.
Afzal Upal
Professor & Department ChairUniversity of Wisconsin - Platteville
Computer Science & Software Engineering Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Materials Scientist job market given the pandemic?
Afzal Upal: I believe that this will accelerate the trend towards automation of various aspects of life. This will lead to automation technologies' rapid growth, particularly Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (incredibly deep learning). I do not believe that work from home (WFH) will continue at the high levels at which it is currently happening in the middle of the current pandemic. Although post-pandemic, WFH will continue at a higher level than it was happening in February 2020. Differences in employee productivity, however small, will force most employers to ask many employees to return to their offices. The trend toward automation yet will continue and will lead to an even more massive expansion of jobs in computer science.
What type of skills will young Materials Scientists need?
Dennis Doverspike Ph.D.: Seemingly a paradox, there will continue to be a need for very general, but highly fungible, skills and demand for too specialized skills, requiring advanced education. Coding, statistics, and data analysis related skills will remain a hot growth area. The aging of the baby boomers will create demand for medical and healthcare-related regions, especially nursing, nursing aides, and emergency services. Despite the automation of many people facing jobs, there will continue to be a demand for interpersonal and people skills, including various types of sales. The switch to remote work, due to COVID, will create a substantial future market to fill the leadership and managerial skills gap. In many areas of Technology and engineering, it is already challenging to find a combination of technical knowledge and people skills, and this demand will intensify.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Materials Scientists to find work opportunities?
Dennis Doverspike Ph.D.: Not sure if this question meant geographic locations or industries. I will assume it means geographic areas. Both government and the health care industries will continue to grow, along with a decline in traditional manufacturing, so this will increase jobs around Washington, DC, state capitals, and large regional medical centers. It is harder to predict the impact of COVID and remote work on our cities, especially those located in high housing cost areas and on the coasts. Nevertheless, the movement to remote work and small education continues to expand, making it more and more accurate that choosing where to live will depend upon personal preferences. Thus, location will become less of a factor in work decisions and be driven more by family and leisure choices. One exception might be the aging of the baby boomers. If we see more and more Villages created, then those communities for older individuals will need service staff living in the area to provide personalized medical care, along with a range of recreational and entertainment options.
How do you envision technology impacting Materials Scientists in the next 5 years?
Dennis Doverspike Ph.D.: Technology will have a considerable impact. Self-driving vehicles and the replacement of call-center employees with artificial agents will eliminate a large number of high paying, low skill jobs. COVID and Technology will continue to combine to shape how we work, whether we have to commute to work, how we do that, and how we educate ourselves and our children. This will then impact where we live, our cities, the way we fund governments, and the percentage of people in the workforce.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Materials Scientists in the next 5 years?
Paul Badger Ph.D.: The demand for skilled research scientists in the healthcare industry or related industries will almost certainly grow in the next five years. There is nearly always a need for entry-level positions, such as laboratory scientists or medical laboratory technicians. The recent increase in pressures placed on the health care sector will likely lead to more hiring as testing facilities, and analytical labs are expanded.
Dr. Diane Wilson Ph.D.
Medical Laboratory Science Program Director and Associate ProfessorMorgan State University
Medical Laboratory Science
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Materials Scientists in the next 5 years?
Dr. Diane Wilson Ph.D.: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for Medical Laboratory Science professionals in the next five years will increase by 7% from 2019-2029*. The Bureau also adds that the growth will be faster than the average for all occupations*.
What experience really stands out on Materials Scientist resumes?
Scott Johnson: Demonstrated ability to complete a project, such as a Senior thesis or research presented at a conference. Internships, direct research experience, significant computer skills (office software, GIS skills, programming in Matlab, python, R.), real experience working with instrumentation and technology, good math, and writing skills.
How do you envision technology impacting Materials Scientists in the next 5 years?
Min Yun: Astronomy is a technology-driven field, so training in astronomy will closely track the advances in the technology sector. The close connection between astronomy research and education, by the virtue, that the same people are leading both, means the astronomy education and training will reflect the broad technology trends. Many of the problems we are trying to solve in astronomy and astrophysics are often old but challenging problems. New and better tools can help to crack some of these really tough nuts, ,and new technology can provide the edge, or sometimes a completely transformative impact in our field, as in many others. Therefore the ability to recognize and adopt promising new technology is an important part of student training. Since technology is such an integral part of our field, I don't see any major changes in this trend over the next five years.