Occupational Employment Statistics

DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA

19-2032 Materials Scientists

Occupational Description:
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. Includes glass scientists, ceramic scientists, metallurgical scientists, and polymer scientists.

Occupational Employment Statistics(OES) Wage Data
First Quarter 2026

Geography	Employment	Emp SE*	Percentiles
Geography	Employment	Emp SE*	Mean	10th	25th	Median	75th	90th
Minnesota	290	28	$61.78/hr	$41.27/hr	$50.19/hr	$65.32/hr	$68.36/hr	$85.25/hr

Leading Industries for Materials Scientists

Industry	OES Employment (Statewide)	OES Median Wage (Statewide)
Manufacturing	20	$60.62/hr
Trade, Transportation and Utilities	N/A	N/A
Professional and Business Services	270	$65.32/hr
Education and Health Services	N/A	N/A

Other Regional Data for Materials Scientists

Geography	Employment	Median Wage	Projections % Change 2022-2032
Southeast Minnesota	N/A	N/A	N/A
Duluth MN-WI MSA	N/A	N/A	N/A
Fargo ND-MN MSA	N/A	N/A	N/A
Grand Forks ND-MN MSA	N/A	N/A	N/A
La Crosse WI-MN MSA	N/A	N/A	N/A
Southeast Balance of State	N/A	N/A	N/A
St Cloud MN MSA	N/A	N/A	N/A
Central Minnesota	N/A	N/A	N/A
Northeast Minnesota	N/A	N/A	N/A
Seven County Mpls-St Paul, MN	270	$65.32/hr	7.4%
Minneapolis-St Paul-Bloomington MN-WI MSA	270	$65.32/hr	N/A
Minnesota	290	$65.32/hr	8.2%

Related Occupations

Occupations	Employment	Median Wage	Projections % Change 2022-2032
Materials Engineers	150	$52.50/hr	5.5%
Nuclear Engineers	N/A	N/A	N/A
Mechanical Engineers	5,890	$48.99/hr	13.7%
Electrical Engineers	3,150	$54.12/hr	4.9%
Chemical Engineers	210	$53.22/hr	8.5%
Architectural and Engineering Managers	4,580	$84.14/hr	7.5%
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary	560	$111,424.15/yr	9.4%
Commercial and Industrial Designers	590	$46.64/hr	5.9%
Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians	5,380	$34.84/hr	8.2%
Computer Hardware Engineers	770	$66.38/hr	4.4%

Task for Materials Scientists

Plan laboratory experiments to confirm feasibility of processes and techniques used in the production of materials with special characteristics.
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.
Recommend materials for reliable performance in various environments.
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.
Teach in colleges and universities.
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.
Teach in colleges and universities.
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.
Supervise and monitor production processes to ensure efficient use of equipment, timely changes to specifications, and project completion within time frame and budget.
Confer with customers to determine how to tailor materials to their needs.