Prevents metal structures such as pipelines, refineries, bridges and ships from corroding by choosing materials, coatings and cathodic protection. BLS does not publish separate figures for materials engineers; it counts them within materials engineer (SOC 17-2131), whose median pay is $112,860 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 17-2131
- Architecture and Engineering
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Corrosion Engineer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $112,860a year, or $54.26/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $72KTop 10% $176K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +7.5%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+7.5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +7.5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,30023,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202523.8K
- Projected 203525.6K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 23.8K Projected 2035 25.6K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Associate's4%
- Bachelor's80%
- Master's4%
- Professional degree4%
- Doctorate8%
Highest education held by materials engineers Segment Value Associate's 4% Bachelor's 80% Master's 4% Professional degree 4% Doctorate 8%
Also advertised as: Corrosion Specialist, Cathodic Protection Engineer, Materials and Corrosion Engineer, Corrosion Control Engineer, Corrosion Prevention Engineer.
Pay
How much do Materials Engineers make?
Every corrosion engineer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$112,860
Middle half earn $88,080 to $142,720
- 10th
- $72,300
- 25th
- $88,080
- 75th
- $142,720
- 90th
- $175,720
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $72,300 |
| 25th | $88,080 |
| Median | $112,860 |
| 75th | $142,720 |
| 90th | $175,720 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $112,860
- Median hourly wage
- $54.26/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $120,250
- People employed
- 22,770
Versus all US occupations
At $112,860, Materials Engineers earn 121% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $61,880 a year.
Versus architecture and engineering occupations
Inside the Architecture and Engineering group, where the middle occupation pays $104,110, this is 8% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $175,720 or more while the bottom 10% earn $72,300, a gap of 2.4×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 82% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New Mexico pays the most at $165,600, and still leads at $179,586 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Materials Engineers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New Mexico | $165,600 | $179,586 | 450 |
| 2Maryland | $140,640 | $133,995 | 740 |
| 3Washington | $139,840 | $130,676 | 1,000 |
| 4Delaware | $131,320 | $131,573 | 40 |
| 5Louisiana | $128,670 | $145,873 | 90 |
| 6California | $128,470 | $116,031 | 3,020 |
| 7Illinois | $126,620 | $126,673 | 290 |
| 8New York | $125,900 | $116,659 | 590 |
| 9Colorado | $124,030 | $120,357 | 810 |
| 10Alaska | $123,360 | $120,517 | 70 |
Job outlook
Is Corrosion Engineer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +7.5% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Materials Engineers | +7.5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Materials Engineers to change 7.5% over 2025–2035, roughly 2.1× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 1,800 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,300 openings are projected each year, 5.5% of the 23,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Corrosion Engineer
Most corrosion engineers have a bachelor's degree in materials, metallurgical, chemical or mechanical engineering. A few universities offer corrosion engineering programs, and many engineers learn the specialty on the job in oil and gas, utilities or infrastructure.
The Association for Materials Protection and Performance, formed from NACE International and SSPC, offers widely recognized certifications in corrosion, cathodic protection and coatings inspection. Employers in pipelines and refining often require these credentials, and a professional engineering license helps for senior consulting work. Field experience testing cathodic protection systems and inspecting coatings gives engineers a practical base before they move into design and consulting.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as materials engineers.
- Bachelor's Degree80%
- Doctoral Degree8%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree4%
- Master's Degree4%
- First Professional Degree4%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 80% |
| Doctoral Degree | 8% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 4% |
| Master's Degree | 4% |
| First Professional Degree | 4% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Corrosion Engineer do?
Corrosion engineers fight the slow chemical attack that eats through steel. They assess how pipelines, tanks, plants, ships, bridges and water systems are corroding, and they choose the materials, coatings, chemical inhibitors and cathodic protection systems that slow the damage.
They design and test cathodic protection, which uses small electrical currents or sacrificial metals to protect buried and submerged steel. They also analyze failed parts to find the cause, set inspection plans, and advise on new projects so that corrosion is considered from the start rather than repaired later.
Day-to-day tasks
- Assess corrosion on pipelines, vessels and structures
- Design cathodic protection systems
- Select corrosion-resistant materials and coatings
- Specify chemical inhibitor programs
- Analyze failed components to determine root cause
- Set corrosion monitoring and inspection plans
- Review project designs for corrosion risk
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Corrosion engineers divide time between offices, labs and field sites such as pipeline rights of way, plants, marine terminals and bridges. Fieldwork can involve travel, climbing and confined spaces. Schedules are mostly regular. Consulting roles bring frequent travel, while plant and utility roles stay closer to one system. Some field tasks require climbing structures or working near water and live equipment.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Writing4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Mathematics4.0
- Science4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Active Learning3.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Writing | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Mathematics | 4.0 |
| Science | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving4.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.6
- Quality Control Analysis3.4
- Operations Analysis3.3
- Systems Analysis3.3
- Systems Evaluation3.3
- Operations Monitoring3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.6 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.4 |
| Operations Analysis | 3.3 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.3 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.3 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Corrosion Engineer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code IRC) built on O*NET's Materials Engineer profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Corrosion Engineer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 6 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Realistic5.9
- Investigative5.9
- Conventional4.3
- Artistic2.5
- Enterprising2.1
- Social1.4
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Corrosion Engineer
O*NET related occupations
- Architecture and Engineering
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
More architecture and engineering careers
Median annual pay, with materials engineers highlighted
- Aerospace Engineer$134,960
- Electrical Engineer$120,630
- Corrosion Engineer$112,860
- Environmental Engineer$107,110
- Mechanical Engineer$104,110
- Automotive Engineer$104,110
- Industrial Engineer$102,440
- Civil Engineer$100,840
- Architect$99,280
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,960 |
| Electrical Engineer | $120,630 |
| Corrosion Engineer | $112,860 |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $104,110 |
| Automotive Engineer | $104,110 |
| Industrial Engineer | $102,440 |
| Civil Engineer | $100,840 |
| Architect | $99,280 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Corrosion Engineer appears on
Questions
Corrosion Engineer: frequently asked questions
How much do Materials Engineers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for materials engineers. It counts them within materials engineer, whose median pay is $112,860 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $88,080 and $142,720, and the top 10% earn $175,720 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Corrosion Engineer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Materials Engineers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 80.0% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Corrosion Engineer a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 7.5% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Corrosion Engineer do?
Corrosion engineers fight the slow chemical attack that eats through steel. A typical task: assess corrosion on pipelines, vessels and structures. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Materials Engineers the most?
The highest state medians for Materials Engineers are New Mexico ($165,600), Maryland ($140,640), Washington ($139,840) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Corrosion Engineer?
O*NET scores Materials Engineers highest on the Realistic, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTP, ISTJ, INTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.