DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA
17-2131 Materials Engineers
Occupational Description:
Evaluate materials and develop machinery and processes to manufacture materials for use in products that must meet specialized design and performance specifications. Develop new uses for known materials. Includes those engineers working with composite materials or specializing in one type of material, such as graphite, metal and metal alloys, ceramics and glass, plastics and polymers, and naturally occurring materials. Includes metallurgists and metallurgical engineers, ceramic engineers, and welding engineers.| Percentiles | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geography | Employment | Emp SE* | Mean | Mean SE* | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
| EDR 10 - Southeast | 40 | 9 | $39.18/hr | $0.98/hr | $28.47/hr | $33.16/hr | $38.95/hr | $46.37/hr | $53.31/hr |
| Minnesota | 220 | 51 | $41.88/hr | $0.96/hr | $30.95/hr | $35.48/hr | $41.44/hr | $48.20/hr | $56.58/hr |
| U S | 22,740 | 682 | $42.63/hr | $0.38/hr | $25.78/hr | $32.60/hr | $41.50/hr | $52.40/hr | $63.36/hr |
| *SE = Standard error, a measure of the statistical reliability of the estimate. | |||||||||
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| Occupation (click title for details) | OES | Projections | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | Median Wage | % Change - | |
| Mechanical Engineers | 290 | $36.92/hr | N/A |
| Civil Engineering Technicians | 170 | $26.78/hr | N/A |
| Electrical and Electronics Drafters | 50 | $26.19/hr | N/A |
Tasks for Materials Engineers
- Reviews new product plans and makes recommendations for material selection based on design objectives and cost.
- Confers with producers of material during investigation and evaluation of material for product applications.
- Reviews product failure data and interprets laboratory test results to determine material or process causes.
- Plans and implements laboratory operations to develop material and fabrication procedures that maintain cost and performance standards.
- Evaluates technical and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.