Career comparison
Chemical Engineer vs. Materials Scientist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Chemical engineers earn more at the median ($125,040 vs. $117,790), while chemical engineers usually get to work faster (4-year engineering degree of training). Chemical engineers design processes that turn raw materials into fuels, medicines, food and chemicals. Materials scientists research new materials for batteries, electronics and medicine.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Chemical Engineer | Materials Scientist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $125,040 ($60.12/hr) | $117,790 ($56.63/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $79,420 – $182,880 | $66,820 – $197,290 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +4.7% (about as fast as average) | +8.3% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 1,100 | 600 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 4-year engineering degree | 4+ years of study |
| Key credential | PE license | Ph.D. |
| Work setting | Chemical engineers work in plants, labs and offices.. | Materials scientists work in labs at companies, national labs and universities.. |
What each job does
Chemical Engineer
- Design processes
- Improve yields
- Troubleshoot equipment
- Run process safety reviews
- Model processes
Materials Scientist
- Synthesize materials
- Characterize structure
- Test properties
- Analyze data
- Write papers
How they’re similar
Both careers involve high-pay, problem-solving, and working with information. Both are part of the science, engineering & lab field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose chemical engineer if…
- I like chemistry and math
- I like big processes
- I like plant work
Choose materials scientist if…
- I like chemistry and physics
- I love lab work
- I’m curious
Still torn? Take the Chemical Engineer fit quiz and the Materials Scientist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, chemical engineer or materials scientist?
Chemical Engineers earn more at the median: $125,040 versus $117,790 for materials scientists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Chemical Engineers typically train faster (4-year engineering degree) than materials scientists (4+ years of study).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects materials scientists to grow +8.3% from 2025–35, compared with +4.7% for chemical engineers.