Materials engineers develop, process and test materials used to create a wide range of products, from metals and ceramics to plastics, composites and semiconductors. They pick materials for a job, study why parts fail and improve how materials are made. AI tools can help search for and screen candidate materials. Testing and deciding what goes into a product stay with engineers.
The short answer: low exposure and strong growth. The ILO's 2025 index rates mining engineers, metallurgists and related professionals, the closest group, as not exposed with a score of 0.29. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 8 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,300 openings a year. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed materials engineers are
The International Labour Organization scores occupations' tasks from 0 (cannot be automated with generative AI) to 1 (could be done without a human operator), and groups them into gradients from 1 to 4, with 4 the most exposed; below them sit minimal exposure and not exposed (ILO Working Paper 140, 2025).
| Occupation (ISCO-08) | ILO category | Mean task score (0 to 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Mining Engineers, Metallurgists and Related Professionals | Not exposed | 0.29 |
The ILO scores groups of occupations, so this is the closest group for materials engineers, not a score for the job title itself.
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Materials engineers | Grow 8% | About 1,300 |
The BLS says that as demand for new materials and manufacturing processes continues to increase, more materials engineers are expected to be needed. Its outlook does not mention AI.
Where AI is helping
- Screening large numbers of candidate materials by predicted properties.
- Analyzing microscope images and test data.
- Searching research papers and test records.
What stays with materials engineers
- Lab testing: making and testing samples to see how materials really behave.
- Failure analysis: working out why a part broke and how to stop it.
- Production: scaling a material from the lab to a factory.
- Checking AI help: predicted properties and generated text can be wrong, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
How the job is changing
Computer screening helps narrow the search for new materials faster, but every promising option still has to be made, tested and produced reliably. This page is general information, not career advice.
See also will AI replace engineers?, will AI replace chemical technicians? and will AI replace quality control inspectors?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for materials engineers at $112,860 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. The typical education needed to enter is: bachelor's degree. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace materials engineers?
Not on current projections. The BLS projects 8 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,300 openings a year.
How exposed are materials engineers to AI?
The ILO rates mining engineers, metallurgists and related professionals, the closest group, as not exposed with a score of 0.29.
What is driving demand?
The BLS points to rising demand for new materials and manufacturing processes.
Where does AI help?
Mainly in screening candidate materials and analyzing test data, with engineers testing what matters in the lab.