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2023 Most Popular Master’s Degree Colleges for Materials Engineering

92 Ranked Colleges
1,090 Degrees Awarded
$79,677 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master's

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Materials Engineering is the 154th most popular major in the country with 3,415 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, materials engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $65,007 and had an average of $23,030 in loans still to pay off.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,090 materials engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s” ranking analyzed 92 colleges that offered a degree in materials engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular materials engineering programs in the United States.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s”.

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - San Diego. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s list. This large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 49 masters’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Materials Engineering at University of California - San Diego

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 47 masters’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Materials Engineering at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

3
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Out of the 92 schools in the Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Cornell University landed the #3 spot on the list. Cornell University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Ithaca, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 46 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Materials Engineering at Cornell University

4
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s list. Stanford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 44 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Materials Engineering at Stanford University

5

Out of the 92 schools in the Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a large public school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 42 masters’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of Washington - Seattle Campus Materials Engineering Report

6
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 40 diplomas to qualified masters’s materials engineering students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full University of Pennsylvania Materials Engineering Report

7
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 34 degrees to qualified masters’s materials engineering students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full USC Materials Engineering Report

8
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida ranked #8 on this year’s Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s list. This large school is located in Gainesville, Florida, and it awarded 33 masters’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Materials Engineering at University of Florida

9
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s ranking. Boston University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 32 masters’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Materials Engineering at Boston U

10
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s ranking. Northwestern is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 31 masters’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Northwestern University Materials Engineering Report

11

Arizona State University - Tempe came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s ranking. Arizona State University - Tempe is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 30 masters’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Arizona State University - Tempe Materials Engineering Report

12

With a ranking of #12, University of California - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s materials engineering degrees to 27 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Materials Engineering at University of California - Los Angeles

12
WPI crest
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #12, Worcester Polytechnic Institute did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s list. Worcester Polytechnic Institute is located in Worcester, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 27 masters’s materials engineering degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Materials Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute

14

University of California - Irvine landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s ranking. University of California - Irvine is a large school located in Irvine, California that handed out 24 masters’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of California - Irvine Materials Engineering Report

15
Johns Hopkins crest
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

Johns Hopkins University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s ranking. Johns Hopkins University is a large school located in Baltimore, Maryland that handed out 22 masters’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Johns Hopkins University Materials Engineering Report

15

With a ranking of #15, Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s list. Georgia Tech is a large public school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 22 masters’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Materials Engineering at Georgia Tech

17

Texas A&M University - College Station ranked #17 on this year’s Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s list. This large school is located in College Station, Texas, and it awarded 21 masters’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Materials Engineering at Texas A&M University - College Station

18

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s ranking. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 20 masters’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Materials Engineering at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

18

Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s ranking. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a large school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 20 masters’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Materials Engineering at Ohio State

20

With a ranking of #20, The University of Tennessee - Knoxville did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s list. The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is a public institution located in Knoxville, Tennessee. The school has a large population, and it awarded 16 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Materials Engineering Report

21
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s ranking. This large school is located in Raleigh, North Carolina, and it awarded 15 masters’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Materials Engineering at North Carolina State University

21

University of California - Davis landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s ranking. UC Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 15 masters’s materials engineering degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on Materials Engineering at University of California - Davis

21
Drexel crest
Drexel University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Drexel University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #21. This large school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 15 masters’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Full Drexel Materials Engineering Report

24

Portland State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #24. Portland State University is located in Portland, Oregon and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 masters’s materials engineering degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Materials Engineering at Portland State University

24

With a ranking of #24, The University of Texas at Dallas did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s list. UT Dallas is a public institution located in Richardson, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 14 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full The University of Texas at Dallas Materials Engineering Report

24

University of Dayton ranked #24 on this year’s Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s list. This fairly large school is located in Dayton, Ohio, and it awarded 14 masters’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Materials Engineering at University of Dayton

24

With a ranking of #24, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Materials Engineering Major for a Master’s list. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school awarded 14 degrees to qualified masters’s materials engineering students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Materials Engineering Report

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