FutureProof

Will AI replace Materials Scientists?

Materials Scientists rank 65/100 on observed AI exposure — a meaningful share of tasks overlaps with real AI usage, while much of the work remains outside what AI is used for today. Employment is projected to grow faster than the average occupation through 2034.

65/ 100Medium exposure

Mixed exposure — worth steering toward safer ground

65/100 reflects how much AI is used in this job today. Its theoretical exposure as tools improve ranks 76/100.

Materials Scientists by the numbers

MEDIAN WAGE
$117,790 /year
JOB GROWTH 2024–34
+4.9% (US avg +3.1%)
US EMPLOYMENT
8,470 jobs
AI HORIZON (THEORETICAL)
76 /100

Across all measured AI usage (dataset-wide, not specific to this occupation), about 43% is automation — AI doing a task — while 57% is augmentation, AI assisting a person.

Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34 · Anthropic Economic Index (CC-BY) · Felten et al. AIOE · Methodology
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Frequently asked questions

Will AI replace Materials Scientists?

No data source can answer that with certainty — what we can measure is overlap. Materials Scientists score 65/100 on observed AI exposure (how much of the job's tasks appear in real AI usage today) and 76/100 on theoretical exposure as tools improve. High exposure historically means tasks get reshaped and redistributed rather than jobs simply disappearing.

How much do Materials Scientists earn in the US?

The national median wage for Materials Scientists is $117,790 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Is the job market for Materials Scientists growing or shrinking?

BLS projects employment for Materials Scientists to change by +4.9% between 2024 and 2034 (national average: +3.1%). About 8,470 people held this job in 2024.

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