Below are the skills needed to be materials engineers according to their importance on the scale of 1 to 5 (1 being lowest and 5 being highest) and competency level on a scale of 1 to 7 (1 being lowest and 7 being highest).
| Skill Name | Importance | Competence |
| Critical Thinking | 4 | 4.38 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4 | 4.5 |
| Active Listening | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Writing | 3.75 | 4.38 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.62 | 4 |
Below are the abilities needed to be materials engineers according to their importance on the scale of 1 to 5 (1 being lowest and 5 being highest) and competency level on a scale of 1 to 7 (1 being lowest and 7 being highest).
| Ability Name | Importance | Competence |
| Deductive Reasoning | 4 | 4.62 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 4 | 4.38 |
| Oral Comprehension | 4 | 4.75 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 4 | 4.25 |
| Written Comprehension | 4 | 4.75 |
Below are the knowledge areas needed to be materials engineers according to their importance on the scale of 1 to 5 (1 being lowest and 5 being highest) and competency level on a scale of 1 to 7 (1 being lowest and 7 being highest).
| Knowledge Area | Importance | Competence |
| Engineering and Technology | 4.64 | 6.08 |
| Chemistry | 4.46 | 5.77 |
| Mathematics | 4.28 | 5.46 |
| Physics | 4.26 | 5.49 |
| Production and Processing | 3.97 | 4.95 |
Below are the work activities involved in being materials engineers according to their importance on the scale of 1 to 5 (1 being lowest and 5 being highest) and competency level on a scale of 1 to 7 (1 being lowest and 5 being highest).
| Work Activity | Importance | Competence |
| Getting Information | 4.59 | 5.51 |
| Making Decisions and Solving Problems | 4.46 | 5.26 |
| Analyzing Data or Information | 4.41 | 5.72 |
| Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings | 4.33 | 5.51 |
| Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge | 4.26 | 5.64 |
Below are the work styles involved in being materials engineers according to their importance on the scale of 1 to 5 (1 being lowest and 5 being highest).
| Work Style | Importance | |
| Analytical Thinking | 4.64 | |
| Integrity | 4.51 | |
| Attention to Detail | 4.33 | |
| Initiative | 4.28 | |
| Dependability | 4.23 |
Metro Areas Sorted by Total Employment for
Materials Engineers
Listed below are the 10 largest metro areas based on the total number of people employed in Materials Engineers jobs , as of 2019
| Metro Area | Total Employment | Annual Mean Salary |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land | 1,100 | $115,970 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | 1,020 | $112,880 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | 800 | $85,660 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | 580 | $101,660 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | 510 | $112,960 |
| Austin-Round Rock | 410 | $98,820 |
| Cleveland-Elyria | 360 | $87,490 |
| Dayton | 360 | $112,400 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale | 340 | $97,680 |
| Huntsville | 340 | $101,070 |
Compare Total Employment & Salaries for Materials Engineers
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Total employment and salary for professions similar to materials engineers
Source : 2019 Occupational Employment Statistics and 2018-28 Employment Projections, Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS.gov; O*NET® 24.3 Database, O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, Employment & Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, onetonline.org
