Materials Engineering at Washington State University

First-year earnings of $49,560 place Washington State University below the $71,341 national median for Materials Engineering — worth weighing against tuition and cost of living.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 10.4x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Materials Engineering programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Materials Engineering's typical career paths, with 48% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 8% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $28,750 represents roughly 7 months of the $49,560 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #33 of 33 Materials Engineering programs, Washington State University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.