Materials Scientists
Science, Technology, Engineering and MathematicsO*NET 19-2032.00United States
Research and study the structures and chemical properties of various natural and synthetic or composite materials, including metals, alloys, rubber, ceramics, semiconductors, polymers, and glass. Determine ways to strengthen or combine materials or develop new materials with new or specific properties for use in a variety of products and applications.
- Median annual earnings
- $117,989
- Projected change
- +7.7%
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Employment
- 9.14K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
66.7% of the workforce
Growing to 9.85K by 2035
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ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
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The work
What materials scientists do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Conduct research on the structures and properties of materials, such as metals, alloys, polymers, and ceramics, to obtain information that could be used to develop new products or enhance existing ones.
- Test metals to determine conformance to specifications of mechanical strength, strength-weight ratio, ductility, magnetic and electrical properties, and resistance to abrasion, corrosion, heat, and cold.
- Test material samples for tolerance under tension, compression, and shear to determine the cause of metal failures.
- Determine ways to strengthen or combine materials or develop new materials with new or specific properties for use in a variety of products and applications.
- Prepare reports, manuscripts, proposals, and technical manuals for use by other scientists and requestors, such as sponsors and customers.
- Plan laboratory experiments to confirm feasibility of processes and techniques used in the production of materials with special characteristics.
- Recommend materials for reliable performance in various environments.
- Supervise and monitor production processes to ensure efficient use of equipment, timely changes to specifications, and project completion within time frame and budget.
- Research methods of processing, forming, and firing materials to develop such products as ceramic dental fillings, unbreakable dinner plates, and telescope lenses.
- Perform experiments and computer modeling to study the nature, structure, and physical and chemical properties of metals and their alloys, and their responses to applied forces.
- Devise testing methods to evaluate the effects of various conditions on particular materials.
- Test individual parts and products to ensure that manufacturer and governmental quality and safety standards are met.
- Confer with customers to determine how to tailor materials to their needs.
- Visit suppliers of materials or users of products to gather specific information.
- Write research papers for publication in scientific journals.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $66,579
- 25th percentile
- $89,853
- 50th percentile
- $117,989
- 75th percentile
- $151,478
- 90th percentile
- $198,438
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $117,989 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+7.7%faster than average
20259,141 jobs
2035 projected9,849 jobs
708 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Bachelor's degree
- 66.7%
- Doctoral degree or more
- 19%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 9.5%
- Associate degree
- 4.8%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Research and Development Scientists421 postings
- 02Analytical Scientists80 postings
- 03Principal Scientists76 postings
- 04Clinical Development Scientists55 postings
- 05Product Development Scientists51 postings
- 06Associate Scientists40 postings
- 07Scientists34 postings
- 08Research Scientists28 postings
- 09Staff Scientists26 postings
- 10Development Scientists24 postings
- 11Polymer Scientists21 postings
- 12Principal Data Scientists18 postings
- 13Materials Scientists15 postings
- 14Applications Scientists12 postings
- 15Lead Scientists11 postings
- 16Product Scientists10 postings
- 17Research and Development Associate Scientists10 postings
- 18Big Data Scientists9 postings
- 19Cell Culture Scientists9 postings
- 20Computational Chemists9 postings
Top employers
- 01Merck & Co.70 postings
- 02inVentiv Health46 postings
- 03Actalent25 postings
- 04Chobani25 postings
- 05AbbVie24 postings
- 06Kraft Foods Group Brands24 postings
- 07Thermo Fisher Scientific24 postings
- 08Cambrex22 postings
- 09Kelly Services21 postings
- 10PepsiCo21 postings
- 11The Hershey Company20 postings
- 12Johnson & Johnson17 postings
- 13Kenvue Brands LLC17 postings
- 14Scientific Search17 postings
- 15PDI, Inc.16 postings
- 16Kraft Heinz15 postings
- 17Corcentric14 postings
- 18Planet Pharma14 postings
- 19EPM Scientific13 postings
- 20Insight Global13 postings
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