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Job outlook for metallurgists in the United States
Metallurgist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected metallurgist job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 1,300 new jobs for metallurgists are projected over the next decade.
Metallurgist salaries have increased 2% for metallurgists in the last 5 years.
There are over 3,713 metallurgists currently employed in the United States.
There are 25,545 active metallurgist job openings in the US.
The average metallurgist salary is $83,962.
Are metallurgist jobs in demand?
Metallurgist job and salary trends over time
Metallurgist jobs over time
Metallurgist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,713 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 4,266 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 4,625 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 4,644 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 4,691 | 0.00% |
Average metallurgist salary over time
Metallurgist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $83,962 | $40.37 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $81,960 | $39.40 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $81,109 | $38.99 | --2.3% |
| 2022 | $83,058 | $39.93 | +1.4% |
| 2021 | $81,916 | $39.38 | +2.2% |
Metallurgist jobs by state
Most common states for metallurgists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 539 | 8% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 103 | 8% |
| 3 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 361 | 6% |
| 4 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 47 | 6% |
| 5 | California | 39,536,653 | 1,970 | 5% |
| 6 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 209 | 5% |
| 7 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 157 | 5% |
| 8 | Delaware | 961,939 | 49 | 5% |
| 9 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 472 | 4% |
| 10 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 429 | 4% |
| 11 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 423 | 4% |
| 12 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 281 | 4% |
| 13 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 278 | 4% |
| 14 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 233 | 4% |
| 15 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 201 | 4% |
| 16 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 188 | 4% |
| 17 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 161 | 4% |
| 18 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 85 | 4% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 46 | 4% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 24 | 4% |
Most common cities for metallurgists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benicia | 1 | 4% | $95,635 |
| 2 | Charleston | 1 | 1% | $85,752 |
| 3 | Hawthorne | 1 | 1% | $91,823 |
| 4 | Reading | 1 | 1% | $91,654 |
| 5 | Tempe | 1 | 1% | $89,584 |
| 6 | Huntington Beach | 1 | 0% | $91,500 |
| 7 | Indianapolis | 1 | 0% | $73,046 |
| 8 | Phoenix | 1 | 0% | $89,669 |
Metallurgist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of metallurgist experts
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
North Dakota State University
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Wichita State University
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Georgia College and State University
Kimberly Henthorn
Department Head & Associate ProfessorRose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Department of Chemical Engineering
What soft skills should all Metallurgists possess?
Kimberly Henthorn: Being good at the technical stuff is important, but being able to effectively communicate is just as critical. Both oral and written communication skills are necessary in order to explain to others what your work means. You also have to be able to work with a team; chemical engineers rarely work alone, so knowing how to work with people in other disciplines to get the job done is important.
Andriy Voronov
ProfessorNorth Dakota State University
Coatings and Polymeric Materials Department
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Metallurgists?
Andriy Voronov: I think most graduate programs in materials science offer opportunities for interdisciplinary research and educational activities. Their philosophy is to educate and prepare job prospects by providing advanced aspects of work, including extensive collaborations between departments, programs, institutions or with industrial partners. Offering specialized trainings in various areas, graduate programs aim to merge basic and applied research within the certain field. With this said, quit often graduate programs work also with leading industrial scientists who help to provide to the graduates new and practical directions to become competitive at the job market. Answering your question more specifically, graduate programs do target as complementary and comprehensive education as possible. It will be interesting to hear from graduates what courses they took have the biggest impact for them, as well as if they need any additional certifications/licenses and which specifically.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Metallurgist job market given the pandemic?
Thomas Junk Ph.D.: The most obvious consequence is a decline in the oil field sector, which used to employ many chemists. This is very noticeable in our area (Lafayette and its vicinity). As a result of this decline, the job market for chemists has dropped from very good to fair. However, most other chemistry jobs have been stable, and our students can still find industrial positions. A major sector for employment has been QA/QC-type lab work. This has not changed because chemistry is not as strongly affected by Covid as many other sectors of our economy are. Fundamentally, the jobs and types of skills needed have not changed very much (except for niche sectors such as oil field and transportation-related products). The cheap oil and gas have provided a boost to industries that depend on affordable petrochemicals (e.g., polymers).
What Metallurgist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Thomas Junk Ph.D.: It is advisable to gain as much experience as possible, such as an internship. Graduates will usually get some help from their former home departments by way of contact names and referrals, but few take advantage of that. If there is no better option, even volunteer work can help. Of course, the closer the work is related to the student's future career path, the better. Another option is to return to college for an M.S. degree. One year already gets you halfway there, and a degree that provides you with specialized skills is well worth it. In practice, most graduate students in science and engineering find academic scholarships, so it doesn't have to cost you anything. Since most students change institutions for graduate school, their circle of friends and contacts drastically increases.
What general advice would you give to a Metallurgist?
Thomas Junk Ph.D.: While this may not exactly answer your question, it is very important to start making connections and to network WELL BEFORE graduation. Internships, volunteer work, membership in professional organizations, leadership activities all help to land a job after graduation. It is very important to continue networking as much as possible. The only true job security is the ability to find another job - it is truly liberating because it enables you to say "no" to your boss, if necessary. Also, I noticed that many graduates do not take advantage of all possible avenues to find employers. It is important to have a good web presence and to sign up on sites such as LinkedIn.
I also highly recommend cultivating ties to one's former institution and college friends. Often, job openings are filled by word of mouth: companies looking for somebody with a specific skill set ask around. A company contacted me for the name of somebody I could recommend for a specific job, but I came to find out that the contact information that I had of the person I wanted to recommend was no longer valid.
It is important to have specific career goals. Many recent graduates and fresh hires let their careers "drift" and have no idea where they want to be ten years from now. Also, always keep looking for jobs! Few jobs are so good that it is impossible to find a better one.
Dr. Atul Rai Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorWichita State University
School of Accountancy, Barton School of Business
What experience really stands out on Metallurgist resumes?
Dr. Atul Rai Ph.D.: Employers are looking for people who can integrate in multi-disciplinary environments to solve complex problems. They are looking for resumes that show quick learning. Such resumes will permanently be in great demand. Because the world is interconnected much more than it ever was, employees today will deal with customers, supply-chains, and fellow employees who are spread all over the world. It means that an experience that showcases the global perspective will be in demand over the long-term.
How would you rate the starting salaries for Metallurgists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Sanchari Chowdhury Ph.D.: Chemical Engineers are one of the highest-paid professionals out there. The median annual wage for chemical engineers is $108,770, with the lowest 10 percent earning less than $66,810 and the highest 10 percent earning more than $176,090. The starting salary could be easily around 75k for a Chemical Engineering BS. See the following website Bls
What Metallurgist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Peter Rosado: I tell students to call their "gap" year more of a "Developmental" year. If a graduate desires to have such a year, they should focus on their whole as a goal, which means not only developing their professionalism but have other experiences. For example, travel to another country, learn a new language, intern at a company outside of the US, get involved further in the field of study. What stands out in candidates is how they made use of their time, skills that they acquired, and how they could weave them into the position they are applying for. That the candidate has had experiences outside of their comfort zone tells me, as an employer, that they are flexible and can adapt to situations that are new and unpredictable.