The field of materials engineering was big in the 1980s and 1990s when nanotechnologies were discovered and dominating the professional landscape (source). Nowadays, though, the field is slowing down a bit. Job growth estimates are stagnant, if not declining (source). Manufacturing is slow, meaning new and better materials are less in demand than they've been in the past.

 

"Hey, Suze, what are ya doing?" "Oh, just doing some reading from 'My Little Polymer,' my new favorite app." (Source)

Without more jobs opening up, it's going to be difficult to make room for the next generation of plastic- and polymer-loving tweens. Remember, the field is small and the people who got interested in materials science during the 1990s are still there (source).

That said, there are areas of materials engineering that'll continue to see development. Energy is one of them. So if photovoltaic materials are calling your name, you're in good shape. Just be wary of the more traditional fields of materials engineering, like metallurgy.

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