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Metallurgist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a metallurgist. Metallurgists usually study materials science and engineering, metallurgical engineering, or chemical engineering. 73% of metallurgists hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 632 real metallurgist resumes to see exactly what metallurgist education sections show.

The most common colleges for metallurgists are the Colorado School of Mines and the Colorado School of Mines.

There are also many online metallurgist courses to help get the education required to be a metallurgist.

What education do you need to become a metallurgist?

What degree do you need to be a metallurgist?

The most common degree for metallurgists is bachelor's degree, with 73% of metallurgists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 14% and master's degree degree at 6%.
  • Bachelor's, 73%
  • Master's, 14%
  • Associate, 6%
  • Doctorate, 5%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a metallurgist?

You should major in materials science and engineering to become a metallurgist. 29% of metallurgists major in materials science and engineering. Other common majors for a metallurgist include metallurgical engineering and chemical engineering.

Most common colleges for metallurgists

Metallurgists often get their degrees at Colorado School of Mines, Michigan Technological University, and Ohio State University. Here are the most common colleges for metallurgists in the US based on their resumes.
Metallurgist common collegePercentages
Colorado School of Mines9.72%
Michigan Technological University9.03%
Ohio State University6.94%
Purdue University6.94%
University of Pittsburgh6.25%

Best majors for metallurgists

Best colleges for metallurgists

The best colleges for metallurgists are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and California Institute of Technology.

A metallurgist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for metallurgists. 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 metallurgists.

1. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

2. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

4. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$52,930

Enrollment

5,030

5. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

6. Colorado School of Mines

Golden, CO • Private

In-state tuition

$18,964

Enrollment

4,906

7. Missouri University of Science and Technology

Rolla, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$9,440

Enrollment

6,785

8. Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$49,042

Enrollment

5,131

9. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

10. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

20 best online courses for metallurgists

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Top 10 most affordable universities for metallurgists

The most affordable schools for metallurgists are University of Florida, new mexico institute of mining and technology, and purdue university.

If the best universities for metallurgists 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 metallurgists.

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. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

4. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Cost of attendance

25,275

5. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

6. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Cost of attendance

28,501

9. University of Utah

Salt Lake City, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$9,222

Cost of attendance

20,422

10. San Jose State University

San Jose, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,796

Cost of attendance

24,514

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for metallurgists

The hardest universities for metallurgists to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and California Institute of Technology.

Some great schools for metallurgists 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 metallurgists 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA • Private

Admissions rate

7%

SAT average

1,566

4. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

7%

SAT average

1,545

6. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

7. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

8. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

9. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

10. Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,443

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for metallurgists

The easiest schools for metallurgists to get into are Washington State University, the university of texas at el paso, and south dakota school of mines and technology.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a metallurgist 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 metallurgists.

1. Washington State University

Pullman, WA • Private

Admissions rate

77%

SAT average

1,123

2. The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,035

3. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Rapid City, SD • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,268

4. San Jose State University

San Jose, CA • Private

Admissions rate

55%

SAT average

1,143

5. University of Nevada - Reno

Reno, NV • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,172

6. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

7. Portland State University

Portland, OR • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,111

8. Iowa State University of Science and Technology

Ames, IA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,219

9. Missouri University of Science and Technology

Rolla, MO • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,313

10. University of Idaho

Moscow, ID • Private

Admissions rate

77%

SAT average

1,125

Average metallurgist salary by education level

According to our data, metallurgists with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $101,671 annually. Metallurgists with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $83,926.
Metallurgist education levelMetallurgist salary
Master's Degree$101,671
Bachelor's Degree$83,926

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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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