Also called: Research Materials Scientist
Invents and studies materials, from stronger metals to flexible screens, by understanding their atoms.
You make a new alloy or crystal, then test it every way possible: heat it, stretch it, zap it with electricity, and look at it under electron microscopes. Your work could end up in jet engines, phones, or solar panels.
BLS median for materials scientists (May 2025).
Doctorate (PhD), about 9 years after high school. Bachelor's in materials science, chemistry, or physics; PhD for most research roles.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Materials Science & Engineering, Chemistry, Physics.
Growing faster than average (about 5% over 10 years).
Medium risk for 10 years. AI predicts promising materials and self-driving labs test more; making, testing and judging real samples stay human.
Classes: AP Chemistry, AP Physics, AP Calculus.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-2032.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.