Ceramic Sciences and Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri S&T's ceramics engineering program punches above its weight in a specialized field with very few programs nationwide. Students earn $77,305 their first year out—about $5,600 more than the national median for this degree and placing them in the 95th percentile nationally. That's impressive for a program at a school with a 73% admission rate, suggesting strong industry connections and practical training that employers value.

The debt picture is equally solid. Graduates leave with just $22,655 in median debt, yielding a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29—meaning students owe less than four months' salary. This is manageable by any standard and speaks to Missouri's reasonable in-state tuition. The 60th percentile state ranking is meaningless here since Missouri S&T is the only school in Missouri offering this program.

For parents considering this niche engineering path, the fundamentals are excellent. Your student would be entering a specialized field with limited competition (only five schools nationwide offer this major), strong starting pay, and minimal debt burden. The real question is whether ceramic engineering aligns with your child's interests—this isn't a field you stumble into, but for students drawn to materials science and manufacturing, it's a financially sound choice with clear career pathways into industries like aerospace, medical devices, and advanced materials manufacturing.