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Materials Engineer
Have you ever wondered why metals conduct electricity or which metal best conducts it?  Do you know why aluminum and titanium alloys are used to make airplanes and rockets?  If you would like to not only know but to become an expert who, through the mastery of Math and Science, is qualified to answer these and a multitude of related questions, then maybe you should become a Materials Engineer.

Materials Engineers develop, process, test, and evaluate materials used to create a range of products, from computer chips and aircraft wings to golf clubs and snow skis.  They help select materials, develop new uses for these materials, and develop the machinery and processes used to manufacture them for use in products that must meet specialized design and performance specifications.  Metallurgists, Metallurgical Engineers, Ceramics Engineers, and Welding Engineers are considered Materials Engineers, particularly those working with composite materials or specializing in one type of material, such as graphite, metal and metal alloys, ceramics and glass, semiconductors, plastics and polymers, and naturally-occurring materials.

Duties include but are not limited to:  creating new materials that meet certain mechanical, electrical, and chemical requirements; monitoring how materials perform and evaluating how they deteriorate; determining causes of product failure and developing solutions; designing and directing the testing of materials and of processing procedures; developing new ways to use materials; planning and evaluating new projects; and writing reports.

High school students interested in studying Materials Engineering should take courses in Mathematics:  Algebra, Trigonometry, and Calculus; and Science:  Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.  Students entering Materials Engineering Bachelor's of Science programs from high school with no previous Materials Engineering training should expect a period 4 to 5 years to complete said program.  A Professional Engineer's license (or PE) is required for those who wish to someday establish their own Materials Engineering consulting firm and to provide services directly to the public.  Most states require continuing education to maintain Materials Engineering licensure.

Materials Engineers create and study materials at an atomic level and use computers to replicate the characteristics of materials and their components, solving problems in Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical, Civil, Nuclear, and Aerospace Engineering fields.

Materials Engineers are in high demand in growing fields such as Nanotechnology and Biomedical Engineering, conducting research and development activities to address problems with consumer products, industrial processes, and medical needs.  And as with other highly-specialized fields, there is a growing need to fill positions as more experienced Materials Engineers get promoted or retire.
Job Description
Median Salary & Range
​Median Salary:  $84,550

Salary Range:  ~$52,110 - $127,850+
College Majors & Attainment Routes
​The normal routes to becoming a Materials Engineer have been to major in Materials Engineering, Ceramics/Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Textile Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Physics, Physics (Pre-Engineering), Materials Science, Chemistry, Engineering Mathematics or Applied Mathematics.

For those who wish to establish a Materials Engineering consulting firm and work directly with the public, earning a Bachelor's Degree in one of the engineering majors and passing the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering PE exam can only make that a possibility.
Colleges That Provide Above Majors
​Colleges and universities that have Materials Engineering and related majors are:  Tuskegee University (Tuskegee, Alabama); Howard University (Washington, DC); Prairie View A&M University (Prairie View, Texas); North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, North Carolina); Hampton University (Hampton, Virginia); Morgan State University (Baltimore, Maryland); Alabama A&M University (Normal, Alabama); Florida A&M University (Tallahassee, Florida); Virginia State University (Petersburg, Virginia); Norfolk State University (Norfolk, Virginia); Southern University (Baton Rouge, Louisiana); South Carolina State University (Orangeburg, South Carolina); Lincoln University (Lincoln University, Pennsylvania); Florida Memorial University (Miami Gardens, Florida); Morehouse College (Atlanta, Georgia); Spelman College (Atlanta, Georgia); Benedict College (Columbia, South Carolina); and Oakwood University (Huntsville, Alabama).
Available Scholarships