This paper studies shear wave propagation in magneto-elastic transversely isotropic material, sandwiched between a layer and a half-space of heterogeneous elastic materials. Elastic constants of the layer and half-space are assumed to vary in a parabolic form with depth. Whittaker’s functions and variable separable techniques have been employed to calculate the interior deformations; consequently, we obtain a general dispersion relation for shear wave. Effects of various affecting parameters on phase velocity of shear wave are considered through some numerical examples. In addition, a comparative study has been carried out for three examples of sandwiched layer, namely Beryl, Magnesium and isotropic. © 2017, © 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.