by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 13 U.S. colleges awarded 214 degrees and certificates in Polymer & Plastics Engineering. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 47% of graduates. College Factual ranks 6 schools in its 2027 Best Polymer & Plastics Engineering Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $73,005 one year after completing, rising to $94,213 after four years.
Plastics have been useful materials since they were developed. However, not all plastics are the same. If you know the difference between these materials and are interested in customizing them for specific industrial uses, Polymer and Plastics Engineering is your major.
As a Polymer and Plastics Engineering student, you will take classes in the plastics industry, chemistry, manufacturing, applied mathematics, polymer synthesis, and thermoforming. These classes will teach you the skills to customize plastics for specific uses, design and create new light-weight materials, and tailor material properties.
A degree in Polymer & Plastics Engineering involves the study of Polymer/plastics Engineering.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, polymer & plastics engineering is a popular field of study, with 214 degrees awarded annually. 13 colleges award polymer & plastics engineering degrees, an average of 16 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 56.
By level, the 214 awards include 101 bachelor’s degrees, 66 master’s degrees and 47 doctorates.
Women earned 36% of polymer & plastics engineering degrees and certificates in the latest year (76 of 214). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (133) and Asian (11), and international students earned 44.
College Factual ranks 6 schools in its 2027 Best Polymer & Plastics Engineering Schools ranking, including 5 for bachelor’s degrees, 2 for master’s degrees and 2 for doctorates. It also ranks polymer & plastics engineering schools within 3 states. In all, 13 colleges offer polymer & plastics engineering programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Polymer & Plastics Engineering Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common polymer & plastics engineering credential is the bachelor’s degree: 101 of the 214 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to polymer & plastics engineering call most for Speaking, Reading Comprehension and Critical Thinking, and for knowledge of Engineering and Technology, Mathematics and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
Students who excel in this career have a strong background in math and science. Polymer and Plastics Engineering deals a lot with the makeup of materials, requiring a strong understanding of chemistry. Students must also have problem solving and critical thinking skills to develop new materials and products and fix any issues that may come up during the testing phase. Strong teamwork and communication skills allow students to work well with other professionals when working on a project.
Most polymer and plastics engineers work full time in a laboratory or industrial setting. This allows professionals to work in research and development while keeping an eye on the results of their projects.
Practical experience is important in this field and employers often look for it on resumes when hiring. Students can gain this experience through internships or cooperative engineering programs. These programs allow students to earn college credit while working at a relevant location.
Although graduates will be able to find jobs with their bachelor's degree, if you would like to conduct research and development, you will have to obtain your master's degree. This advanced degree will also allow graduates to move into higher management positions.
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How long a polymer & plastics engineering degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 101 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 66 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 47 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to polymer & plastics engineering, at 36.6%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 36.6% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 24.8% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 12.0% |
| Master’s degree | 11.0% |
| Post-doctoral training | 10.9% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.2% |
| First professional degree | 1.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.9% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
5 occupations are related to Polymer & Plastics Engineering, with an average median salary of $90,692; the strongest outlook belongs to Architectural and Engineering Managers, at 9.0% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Mechanical Engineering Professor, Engineering Instructor, Aeronautical Engineering Teacher and Ship Design Teacher.
Polymer and Plastics Engineering graduates have a variety of career options available to them. These materials are used in many different fields opening up careers in aeronautics, architecture, and electronic component manufacturing among others.
Since many fields are constantly looking for new and better materials, Polymer and Plastics Engineering graduates will likely be in demand. Those who have previous experience in the field will have an easier time finding a job.
The occupation related to polymer & plastics engineering with the most projected jobs is Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,297,204.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,297,204 | -2.0% |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 440,884 | 8.0% |
| Chemical Engineers | 215,233 | 0.7% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 207,139 | 9.0% |
| Materials Engineers | 40,988 | -4.9% |
Polymer & Plastics Engineering graduates earn a median $73,005 one year after completing their program, $94,213 after four years and $100,868 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $73,005 |
| 4 years | $94,213 |
| 5 years | $100,868 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to polymer & plastics engineering is Chemical Engineers, with a median salary of $130,903.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Chemical Engineers | $130,903 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $101,277 |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | $89,263 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $79,889 |
| Materials Engineers | $52,129 |
Polymer & Plastics Engineering includes 1 concentration; by graduates, the largest is Polymer/Plastics Engineering (214). It has 40 similar majors in the Engineering field, which together award 202,821 degrees a year; the largest are Mechanical Engineering (43,874), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (27,513) and Computer Engineering (21,335). Browse all Engineering majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Polymer/Plastics Engineering | 214 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | 43,874 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 27,513 |
| Computer Engineering | 21,335 |
| Civil Engineering | 19,856 |
| Engineering, General | 14,789 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 14,592 |
| Chemical Engineering | 10,559 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 10,170 |
| Industrial Engineering | 8,023 |
| Systems Engineering | 4,489 |
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