We surveyed 538 materials scientists to learn what personality traits and interests make them unique. Here are the results.


Holland Codes

Materials scientists are investigative and realistic

Materials scientists tend to be predominantly investigative individuals, which means that they are quite inquisitive and curious people that often like to spend time alone with their thoughts. They also tend to be realistic, which means that they often enjoy working outdoors or applying themselves to a hands-on project.

If you are one or both of these archetypes, you may be well suited to be a materials scientist. However, if you are social, this is probably not a good career for you. Unsure of where you fit in? Take the career test now.

Here’s how the Holland codes of the average materials scientist break down:


Big Five

The top personality traits of materials scientists are conscientiousness and agreeableness

Materials scientists score highly on conscientiousness, which means that they are methodical, reliable, and generally plan out things in advance. They also tend to be high on the measure of agreeableness, meaning that they are very sensitive to the needs of others and value harmony within a group.

Once again, let’s break down the components of the personality of an average materials scientist: