by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Metallurgical Engineering will allow you become intimate with the three branches of metallurgy: physical metallurgy, extractive metallurgy, and mineral processing. This is a specific type of materials engineering that will teach you the different properties of metals and how they are involved in manufacturing. You will also learn how to test different metals through hands-on experiments to discover how they stand up to stress and other conditions.
Some courses you may take could include: chemistry, materials science, engineering, engineering mechanics, physics, statistics, experimental techniques, energy resources, and hydrometallurgy.
In 2020-2021, metallurgical engineering was the 319th most popular major nationwide with 179 degrees awarded. This represents a 15.6% reduction in metallurgical engineering degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 207.
Our 2023 Best Metallurgical Engineering Schools ranking analyzes 8 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for metallurgical engineering students. Explore this or one of our many other custom metallurgical engineering rankings further below.
This is a great field for a curious learner who loves to spend time exploring and experimenting. Metallurgical Engineering majors spend a lot of time experimenting, research and writing reports on their findings. You will need to use critical thinking to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your conclusions.
Students should enjoy using math and science to help solve puzzles and complex problems. Most engineers will continue to actively learn after they graduate while on the job in order to understand new information and figure out different problem sets. Hone your communication skills while still in college in order to clearly articulate concepts both in speaking and writing.
Many schools will require at the minimum of summer internship, but most will ask you to work a co-op in order for you to get real world experience in the workforce. This experience makes you more valuable than a person without working a co-op job.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most metallurgical engineering degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. Specific metallurgical engineering careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.
There are various different levels of metallurgical engineering degrees. You can get anything from a in metallurgical engineering to the highest metallurgical engineering degree, a . Depending on the metallurgical engineering degree you choose, obtaining your diploma can take anwhere from 1 to 4+ years.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to metallurgical engineering, with approximately 36.4% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to metallurgical engineering tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 45.5% |
| Master’s Degree | 27.1% |
| Doctoral Degree | 12.8% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 5.1% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 4.9% |
About 58.0% of workers in careers related to metallurgical engineering obtain at least master's degrees. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in metallurgical engineering have obtained.
The education level required is different depending on the metallurgical engineering career you are seeking.
Graduates have found jobs in all types of companies that work with metals. This could include cars, bikes, buildings, but even something like a toothpaste tube. As a metallurgic engineer you could work in research and development, production, design, or manufacturing.
The job prospect looks good for metallurgic engineers because many people in this field are starting to retire. That means new college graduates will be looked at to fill these positions.
Want a job when you graduate with your metallurgical engineering degree? Metallurgical Engineering careers are expected to grow 6.8% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to metallurgical engineering.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 190,000 | 5.5% |
| Engineering Professors | 54,600 | 14.7% |
| Materials Engineers | 27,500 | 1.9% |
Recently graduated metallurgical engineering students earned an average of $67,658 in 2019-2020. Earnings can range from as low as $61,588 to as high as $72,706. As you might expect, salaries for metallurgical engineering graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for metallurgical engineering graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers metallurgical engineering grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $148,970 |
| Engineering Professors | $113,680 |
| Materials Engineers | $96,930 |
With over 28 different metallurgical engineering degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased metallurgical engineering school rankings to help you with this.
One of 40 majors within the Engineering area of study, Metallurgical Engineering has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | 46,178 |
| Electrical Engineering | 28,844 |
| Civil Engineering | 21,388 |
| Computer Engineering | 17,987 |
| Chemical Engineering | 12,917 |
