by our College Data Analytics Team
[Materials Engineering](/majors/engineering/materials-engineering/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the early-career earnings of their materials engineering graduates.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose materials engineering graduates go on to earn the most.
Our analysis ranked California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo the top school for materials engineering graduate earnings in California. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a public school located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo. After graduating, materials engineering degree recipients from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo typically earn about $107,726 annually.
University Of California Los Angeles came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying materials engineering schools. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a public institution. Early-career materials engineering graduates from University Of California Los Angeles make a median of around $98,154 per year.
Students chasing top earnings in materials engineering will find them at University Of California Davis, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of Davis, University Of California Davis is a public institution. Early-career materials engineering graduates from University Of California Davis make a median of around $74,110 per year.
University Of California Irvine came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying materials engineering schools. University Of California Irvine is a public school located in the city of Irvine. After graduating, materials engineering degree recipients from University Of California Irvine typically earn about $58,177 annually.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their materials engineering graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 4 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.