Career comparison
Materials Engineer vs. Materials Scientist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Materials scientists earn more at the median ($117,790 vs. $112,860), while materials engineers usually get to work faster (4-year engineering degree of training). Materials engineers develop and test metals, plastics, ceramics and composites. Materials scientists research new materials for batteries, electronics and medicine.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Materials Engineer | Materials Scientist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $112,860 ($54.26/hr) | $117,790 ($56.63/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $72,300 – $175,720 | $66,820 – $197,290 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +7.5% (much faster than average) | +8.3% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 1,300 | 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 | Materials engineers work in labs, plants and offices.. | Materials scientists work in labs at companies, national labs and universities.. |
What each job does
Materials Engineer
- Select materials
- Test properties
- Investigate failures
- Develop new materials
- Improve processes
Materials Scientist
- Synthesize materials
- Characterize structure
- Test properties
- Analyze data
- Write papers
How they’re similar
Both careers involve high-pay, in-demand, 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 materials engineer if…
- I like chemistry and physics
- I like lab testing
- I like solving failures
Choose materials scientist if…
- I like chemistry and physics
- I love lab work
- I’m curious
Still torn? Take the Materials Engineer fit quiz and the Materials Scientist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, materials engineer or materials scientist?
Materials Scientists earn more at the median: $117,790 versus $112,860 for materials engineers, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Materials 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 +7.5% for materials engineers.