BACHELOR'S DEGREE · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES
Is a bachelor's degree in Materials Sciences worth it?
Compare cost, debt and earnings across 2 college programs with reportable data.
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Positive payoff
+$303,257 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
5.1 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
+98%Estimated return after 10 years
$106,290Observed earnings · year 4
$108,224Highest annual price before payoff reaches $0
The price benchmark is $75,814 per year below this threshold.
Start with your decision
What do you need to compare?
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$432,895
$20,000Annual price+$352,895
$32,000Current college-wide context+$304,895
$40,000Annual price+$272,895
$60,000Annual price+$192,895
$80,000Annual price+$112,895
$100,000Annual price+$32,895
Outcomes at a glance
$106,290Typical earnings four years after completion
$84,221Average earnings five years after completion
$24,750Typical federal student debt
97thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
Not availableDegrees awarded in 2024–25
2College programs reporting earnings
Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 0 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.
Four useful answers about Materials Sciences
How much do Materials Sciences bachelor's degree graduates earn?
The national median is $106,290 four years after completion across reportable bachelor's degree programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
The median reported federal debt is $24,750. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for Materials Sciences?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $92,864 to $92,864 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Materials Sciences?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 8 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.
Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$92,864National median$106,29075th percentile$92,864
2 programs report year‑4 earnings.BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Compare price, debt and earnings together
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION
Three useful places to start
Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.
Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.
2 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 2 shown
Search every reporting program →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Carnegie Mellon University$119,7152Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus$92,864Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Jobs this degree may lead to
Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-7%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Materials Scientists$117,790 median wage8,470 jobs nationwide+8.3% projected growth through 2035 · 600 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$66,820–$197,290 typical wage rangeNatural Sciences Managers$167,220 median wage108,690 jobs nationwide+8.2% projected growth through 2035 · 9,200 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$79,710–$316,850 typical wage rangeLife, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$62,280 median wage73,910 jobs nationwide+4.4% projected growth through 2035 · 11,200 openings a yearTypical entry education: Associate's degree$39,000–$102,690 typical wage rangeArchitectural and Engineering Managers$171,270 median wage220,260 jobs nationwide+5.5% projected growth through 2035 · 14,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$120,810–$262,760 typical wage rangeEngineering Teachers, Postsecondary$109,270 median wage40,270 jobs nationwide+7.8% projected growth through 2035 · 3,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$61,550–$210,370 typical wage rangeChemistry Teachers, Postsecondary$93,250 median wage19,980 jobs nationwide+2.3% projected growth through 2035 · 1,700 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$57,870–$172,110 typical wage rangeChemists$91,240 median wage82,770 jobs nationwide+6.4% projected growth through 2035 · 5,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$58,460–$160,830 typical wage rangePostsecondary Teachers, All Other$77,640 median wage149,840 jobs nationwide+2.0% projected growth through 2035 · 12,500 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$44,300–$160,700 typical wage range
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.