COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES
Materials Sciences bachelor's degree at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
University Park, PA · Public
What this page covers
Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.
The short version
Reported earnings are close to similar programs.
$1,820 below the national median for the same field and degree level.
- Debt as a share of earnings
- 26.7% of annual earnings
- Highest price with a positive payoff
- $74,660 / year
- Modeled 10-year payoff
- +54% · Positive payoff
- Available price data
- College-wide context only
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+$298,640
$20,000Annual price+$218,640
$33,000Current college-wide context+$166,640
$40,000Annual price+$138,640
$60,000Annual price+$58,640
$80,000Annual price−$21,360
$100,000Annual price−$101,360
OUTCOME SIGNALS
Graduate outcomes from several angles.
Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT
Size, aid and an earnings floor.
The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$35,274Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$92,864$57,590 above the preliminary benchmark
Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.
01 · PRICE CONTEXT$32,875
Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.
02 · BORROWING$24,750
Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.
03 · EARNINGS$92,864
Observed median earnings four full years after completion.
04 · REPAYMENT$262/mo
Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.
WHAT WILL IT COST?
Published college costs provide the starting point.
Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.
Enter my price →AVERAGE NET PRICE$32,875Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$39,694Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE60.6%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE86.1%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?
Reported earnings after completion.
Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?
3.4% of gross monthly earnings
Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.
Gross monthly earnings$7,739
Estimated loan payment$262
90borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$92,864 vs. $94,684
$1,820 below the national median for the same field and credential.
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?
Related occupations, wages and outlook.
Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.
BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.Materials Scientists$106,920 median wagePA estimate · 100 jobs · 19-2032$79,700–$123,530 middle 50% of PA wages+8.3% projected U.S. growth · 600 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNatural Sciences Managers$137,900 median wagePA estimate · 7,980 jobs · 11-9121$83,960–$219,230 middle 50% of PA wages+8.2% projected U.S. growth · 9,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeLife, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$57,680 median wagePA estimate · 2,630 jobs · 19-4099$46,800–$71,610 middle 50% of PA wages+4.4% projected U.S. growth · 11,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Associate's degreeArchitectural and Engineering Managers$164,690 median wagePA estimate · 9,640 jobs · 11-9041$133,960–$187,270 middle 50% of PA wages+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 14,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeChemistry Teachers, Postsecondary$95,070 median wagePA estimate · 1,270 jobs · 25-1052$73,730–$103,640 middle 50% of PA wages+2.3% projected U.S. growth · 1,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEngineering Teachers, Postsecondary$82,070 median wagePA estimate · 2,990 jobs · 25-1032$41,620–$119,090 middle 50% of PA wages+7.8% projected U.S. growth · 3,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeChemists$77,090 median wagePA estimate · 6,800 jobs · 19-2031$62,430–$101,550 middle 50% of PA wages+6.4% projected U.S. growth · 5,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePostsecondary Teachers, All Other$65,400 median wagePA estimate · 12,100 jobs · 25-1199$35,770–$104,910 middle 50% of PA wages+2.0% projected U.S. growth · 12,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degree
Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.
Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.
Carnegie Mellon University
$26,851 higher earnings · $931 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $119,715
- Debt
- Not available
- Annual net price
- $31,944
DATA QUALITY
Check the evidence behind the estimate.
30 observations in the earnings cohort
June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release
Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page
Your price and current earnings determine the result.
Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.
Calculate my payoff →