Materials Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY · Bachelor's Degree · about 14 graduates a year
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates in materials engineering earn 9% less than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 28% of one year’s pay at that point.
How Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Compares for Materials Engineering
All 34 colleges reporting materials engineering earnings at this degree level, ranked by median pay four years after graduation. “Wage-adjusted” divides pay by the square root of the state’s wage index so colleges in low-wage states aren’t penalized for local pay.
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | Adj. rank | 1 yr after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN | $107,557 | $115,389 | #1 | $78,265 |
| 2 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | $106,547 | $96,951 | #6 | $58,177 |
| 3 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA | $100,599 | $91,538 | #18 | $74,496 |
| 4 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | $98,879 | $104,256 | #2 | $75,041 |
| 5 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL | $97,924 | $96,210 | #9 | $75,080 |
| 6 | Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA | $97,904 | $99,569 | #4 | $74,971 |
| 7 | University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MD | $97,714 | $85,755 | #22 | — |
| 8 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MI | $95,761 | $100,969 | #3 | $78,276 |
| 9 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA | $95,314 | $87,669 | #20 | $71,174 |
| 10 | Drexel University Philadelphia, PA | $94,694 | $96,305 | #8 | $78,623 |
| … | |||||
| 29 | University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL | $83,985 | $95,330 | #12 | $69,498 |
| 30 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN | $83,945 | $80,185 | #31 | $60,445 |
| 31 | Iowa State University Ames, IA | $83,416 | $87,743 | #19 | $65,831 |
| 32 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY | $82,947 | $78,948 | #34 | $66,927 |
| 33 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI | $82,131 | $85,461 | #23 | $69,175 |
| 34 | University of North Texas Denton, TX | $78,250 | $79,557 | #32 | — |
Other Majors at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute by Graduate Pay
| Major | 4 yrs after | 1 yr after | Rank in major |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $141,528 | $104,943 | #42 of 349 |
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $125,531 | $94,722 | #1 of 27 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $115,100 | $85,172 | #65 of 459 |
| Mathematics | $105,768 | $80,196 | #20 of 309 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $104,596 | $83,412 | #66 of 258 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $103,306 | $74,427 | #18 of 118 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $99,713 | $47,925 | #30 of 1176 |
| Chemical Engineering | $98,679 | $78,263 | #61 of 158 |
| Industrial Engineering | $98,509 | $74,787 | #45 of 94 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | $94,750 | $73,213 | #35 of 59 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $92,952 | $73,833 | #132 of 318 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $87,358 | $36,191 | #6 of 299 |
| Nuclear Engineering | $87,239 | $77,014 | #12 of 12 |
| Civil Engineering | $86,794 | $71,790 | #99 of 233 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies | $83,958 | — | #10 of 207 |
| Physics | $81,840 | $60,348 | #43 of 107 |
| Architecture | $75,551 | $54,334 | #11 of 78 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute materials engineering graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $66,927 one year after graduating and $82,947 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute rank for materials engineering?
Among 34 colleges reporting earnings for materials engineering graduates, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ranks #32 by median pay four years after graduation, and #34 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is materials engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute worth it?
Its graduates earn 9% less than the national median for materials engineering ($91,449), and the median federal debt at graduation is $23,250.
← All data for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · Methodology
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled; programs with few graduates are not reported. Wage adjustment uses Census ACS state median household income.