Polymer/Plastics Engineering
Polymer/Plastics Engineering graduates earn an average annual wage of $136,006, making it one of the higher-paying degree fields. With 69,280 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Polymer/Plastics Engineering and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$13,890 Median In-State Public
$62,180 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Polymer/Plastics Engineering majors are, on average, $13,890 for in-state public colleges, and $62,180 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Polymer/Plastics Engineering programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
264 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Polymer/Plastics Engineering from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Polymer/Plastics Engineering.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | 33,488 |
| 2 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | VA | 30,435 |
| 3 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | TN | 28,763 |
| 4 | Auburn University | AL | 25,732 |
| 5 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | MA | 23,694 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Polymer/Plastics Engineering programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Oregon Community College | OR | $4,941 |
| 2 | Cayuga County Community College | NY | $6,462 |
| 3 | Western Washington University | WA | $9,286 |
| 4 | University of Southern Mississippi | MS | $9,618 |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | WI | $10,142 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Polymer/Plastics Engineering programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cayuga County Community College | NY | $7,278 |
| 2 | Central Oregon Community College | OR | $10,765 |
| 3 | University of Southern Mississippi | MS | $14,224 |
| 4 | Wayne State University | MI | $14,773 |
| 5 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $14,832 |
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Polymer/Plastics Engineering programs.
Graduation Rates
56.95% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
57.64% Average Graduation Rate
144 Institutions Reporting
43.28% - 72.24% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Polymer/Plastics Engineering programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Polymer/Plastics Engineering graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$136,006 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Polymer/Plastics Engineering majors is $136,006.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Polymer/Plastics Engineering majors.
Occupations by Share
69,280 2023 Workforce
The number of Polymer/Plastics Engineering graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Polymer/Plastics Engineering by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of Polymer/Plastics Engineering degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
ROI data is not available for this degree program.
Financial value comparison for Polymer/Plastics Engineering degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Polymer/Plastics Engineering in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Polymer/Plastics Engineering.
Age distribution for Polymer/Plastics Engineering degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Gender distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Gender distribution of Polymer/Plastics Engineering degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Race and ethnicity distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Racial and ethnic distribution of Polymer/Plastics Engineering degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Polymer/Plastics Engineering are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Polymer/Plastics Engineering.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Polymer/Plastics Engineering field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Polymer/Plastics Engineering majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Polymer/Plastics Engineering majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Polymer/Plastics Engineering majors.
About
Polymer/Plastics Engineering
In 2023, 264 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Polymer/Plastics Engineering.
CIP Code
00.1432 - Polymer/Plastics Engineering
Insights and Analysis
High Earning Potential: Polymer/Plastics Engineering graduates earn an average annual wage of $136,006, placing them among the top earners in the workforce. This strong earning potential reflects both the demand for skills in this field and the value employers place on this degree.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.