Materials Engineering
What this engineering major studies in college, how to prepare in high school, the licensing exams, and careers open with a bachelor’s degree. Every fact below names its source.
Last checked:
What it is
Materials such as ceramics, metals, polymers and composites are critical to many industries and key to most engineering disciplines. [1]
Graduates of materials science and engineering are employed, or go on to graduate studies, in fields such as energy, medicine, sustainability, electronics, communications, transportation, aerospace, defense and infrastructure. [1]
Penn State's B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Materials, Metallurgical, Ceramics, and Similarly Named Engineering Programs. [1]
Typical college courses
ABET-accredited programs in this major must include topics that underlie the four major elements of the field (structure, properties, processing and performance), the selection and design of materials and processes, and experimental, statistical and computational methods for materials problems. [2]
The B.S. requires Introduction to Materials Science, Introduction to Polymer Materials, Thermodynamics of Materials, Materials Process Kinetics and Materials Characterization, among other courses. [1]
The rows below show one named program as an example: the Penn State bachelor of science in this major, 2026–2027 bulletin. Course descriptions are in our own words. Course names and numbers differ at every college; confirm each college’s own list.
| Course | Status | What it covers (example: Penn State bulletin) | Comes after |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Materials Science | Required in this example program[1] | Introduction to Materials Science (MATSE 201) covers how the structure of metals, ceramics, glasses and polymers relates to their thermal, optical, magnetic, electrical and mechanical properties. [3] | It comes after CHEM 112 or MATSE 112. [3] |
Get ready with these topics: Ionic and covalent bonding · Metallic bonding and network solids · Forces between particles and bulk properties · Polymers and designed materials · Electric charge and fields | |||
| Introduction to Polymer Materials | Required in this example program[1] | Introduction to Polymer Materials (MATSE 202) looks at the science of soft and organic materials, mainly plastics and other synthetic and natural polymers. [3] | It comes after CHEM 202 or CHEM 210, and MATH 230 or MATH 231. [3] |
Get ready with these topics: Organic chemistry basics · Polymers and designed materials · Lewis structures and molecular shape · Forces between particles and bulk properties | |||
| Thermodynamics of Materials | Required in this example program[1] | Thermodynamics of Materials (MATSE 401) starts with the first law of thermodynamics and uses it to calculate the heat involved in materials processes such as chemical reactions and phase transformations. [3] | It comes after MATSE 201, MATSE 202 and MATH 251 (or MATH 250 and MATH 252). [3] |
Get ready with these topics: Energy in chemical reactions · Calorimetry and specific heat · Entropy, free energy and why reactions happen · States of matter and phase changes · Thermodynamics: the laws and heat engines | |||
| Materials Process Kinetics | Required in this example program[1] | Materials Process Kinetics (MATSE 402) treats process kinetics, including chemical reaction kinetics and the transport of momentum, energy and mass. [3] | It comes after MATSE 201, MATSE 202 and MATH 251. [3] |
Get ready with these topics: Reaction rates and collision theory · Chemical equilibrium and Le Chatelier's principle · Calorimetry and specific heat · Heat flow and thermal equilibrium | |||
| Materials Characterization | Required in this example program[1] | Materials Characterization (MATSE 430) covers the elements of crystallography and how crystalline and non-crystalline materials are characterized with x-ray diffraction, electron microscopy and other instruments. [3] | It comes after MATSE 201, MATSE 202, MATH 220, MATH 230 or MATH 231, and MATH 251. [3] |
Get ready with these topics: Atoms and electron arrangement · Ionic and covalent bonding · Metallic bonding and network solids · Wave behavior: reflection, refraction, interference · Light as a wave and as a particle · Electromagnetic radiation and health | |||
Typical high school preparation
- In addition to university requirements, its applicants need 4 units of high school math, including Algebra I, Algebra II, geometry, and pre-calculus/trigonometry or calculus, and 3 units of high school science that must include physics and chemistry, and they must also meet one of its ACT or GPA standards. [4]
- If the minimum admission has not been met, a student may be admitted based on an individual review. [4]
This is one university’s admission list for its engineering college, not a rule for every college. Confirm each college’s own list.
Other engineering majors
Each card opens that major’s page. Compare the courses before you choose, and confirm each college’s own list.
Engineering: the first-year core
First-year courses, ABET accreditation and licensing, with sources.
Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineers are employed in a broad array of industries, from pharmaceutical and biotechnical companies to semiconductor manufacturing. [5]
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines, and it is divided into two broad areas: mechanical systems and thermal systems. [6]
Aerospace Engineering
Aerospace engineering emphasizes the analysis, design and operation of aircraft and spacecraft. [7]
Where this degree can lead with a bachelor’s
National figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay varies by state, setting and experience. This is not a promise of pay or a job.
Examples from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Other careers may need more study after the bachelor’s degree.
Materials engineers
Materials engineers develop, process and test materials used to create a wide range of products. [8]
The median annual wage for materials engineers was $112,860 in May 2025. [8]
Employment of materials engineers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations. [8]
Materials engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in materials science and engineering or a related field. [8]
Architectural and engineering managers
Architectural and engineering managers plan, direct and coordinate activities in the fields of architecture and engineering. [9]
The median annual wage for architectural and engineering managers was $171,270 in May 2025. [9]
Employment of architectural and engineering managers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations. [9]
Architectural and engineering managers typically need at least a bachelor's degree and considerable work experience as an architect or engineer. [9]
Getting licensed: the FE and PE exams
Overview only. For dates, registration, rules and scoring, see each test maker's own site.
The FE exam
The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is generally the first step in the process of becoming a licensed professional engineer (PE). [10]
The FE exam is designed for recent graduates and students who are close to finishing an undergraduate engineering degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited program. [10]
The PE exam
The Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam tests for a minimum level of competency in a particular engineering discipline and is designed for engineers who have gained a minimum of four years of post-college work experience. [11]
NCEES offers more than 20 different PE exams, including one listed as Metallurgical and Materials. [11]
The path to a PE license
To use the PE seal, engineers must earn a four-year degree in engineering from an accredited engineering program, pass the FE exam, complete four years of progressive engineering experience under a PE, and pass the PE exam. [12]
Exam names are trademarks of their owners. NCEES and NSPE are not affiliated with and do not endorse UpOnly Learning.
Questions people search
Chosen from our search-question research. Every answer is cited.
What can you do with a materials science and engineering degree?
Materials engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in materials science and engineering or a related field. [8]
Graduates of materials science and engineering are employed, or go on to graduate studies, in fields such as energy, medicine, sustainability, electronics, communications, transportation, aerospace, defense and infrastructure. [1]
Your next step
Find out where you stand in math and reading today with a free placement test, then fill the gaps one step at a time.
Free for students, teens and adults. No card needed.
Sources
- The Pennsylvania State University. Materials Science and Engineering, B.S.. https://bulletins.psu.edu/undergraduate/colleges/earth-mineral-sciences/materials-science-engineering-bs/. 2026–2027 Undergraduate Bulletin. Checked .
- ABET. Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs, 2026–2027. https://www.abet.org/2026-2027_eac_criteria. 2026–2027 review cycle (Engineering Accreditation Commission). Checked .
- The Pennsylvania State University. Materials Science and Engineering (MATSE) course descriptions. https://bulletins.psu.edu/university-course-descriptions/undergraduate/matse/. current University Bulletins (the MATH and EDSGN course pages show the 2026–27 edition). Checked .
- University of Nebraska–Lincoln, College of Engineering. Admission Requirements. https://engineering.unl.edu/undergraduate-programs/admission-requirements. no edition stated (page footer © 2025). Checked .
- The Pennsylvania State University. Chemical Engineering, B.S.. https://bulletins.psu.edu/undergraduate/colleges/engineering/chemical-engineering-bs/. 2026–2027 Undergraduate Bulletin. Checked .
- The Pennsylvania State University. Mechanical Engineering, B.S.. https://bulletins.psu.edu/undergraduate/colleges/engineering/mechanical-engineering-bs/. 2026–2027 Undergraduate Bulletin. Checked .
- The Pennsylvania State University. Aerospace Engineering, B.S.. https://bulletins.psu.edu/undergraduate/colleges/engineering/aerospace-engineering-bs/. 2026–2027 Undergraduate Bulletin. Checked .
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Materials Engineers. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/materials-engineers.htm. OOH page last modified October 29, 2026 (pay data May 2025; projections 2025–35). Checked .
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Architectural and Engineering Managers. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/architectural-and-engineering-managers.htm. OOH page last modified August 27, 2026 (pay data May 2025; projections 2025–35). Checked .
- National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). FE exam. https://ncees.org/exams/fe-exam/. no edition stated. Checked .
- National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). PE exam. https://ncees.org/exams/pe-exam/. no edition stated. Checked .
- National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). What is a PE? https://www.nspe.org/about/about-professional-engineering/what-pe. no edition stated. Checked .
Format: Publisher. Page title. URL. Edition or catalog year. Checked date.