Career comparison
Materials Scientist vs. Physicist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Physicists earn more at the median ($172,250 vs. $117,790), while materials scientists usually get to work faster (4+ years of study of training). Materials scientists research new materials for batteries, electronics and medicine. Physicists study matter, energy and forces to discover how the universe works.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Materials Scientist | Physicist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $117,790 ($56.63/hr) | $172,250 ($82.81/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $66,820 – $197,290 | $82,110 – $274,110 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +8.3% (much faster than average) | +7.2% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 600 | 1,300 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 4+ years of study | 5–7 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | Ph.D. | Ph.D. |
| Work setting | Materials scientists work in labs at companies, national labs and universities.. | Physicists work in labs and offices at national labs, universities and companies.. |
What each job does
Materials Scientist
- Synthesize materials
- Characterize structure
- Test properties
- Analyze data
- Write papers
Physicist
- Design experiments
- Build models
- Analyze data
- Develop technology
- Write papers
How they’re similar
Both careers involve high-pay, in-demand, working with information, and problem-solving. Both are part of the science, engineering & lab field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose materials scientist if…
- I like chemistry and physics
- I love lab work
- I’m curious
Choose physicist if…
- I love physics
- I like math
- I like experiments
Still torn? Take the Materials Scientist fit quiz and the Physicist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, materials scientist or physicist?
Physicists earn more at the median: $172,250 versus $117,790 for materials scientists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Materials Scientists typically train faster (4+ years of study) than physicists (5–7 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects materials scientists to grow +8.3% from 2025–35, compared with +7.2% for physicists.