Bright outlook
Management
Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Median pay
- $171,270
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Complex Problem Solving
Industrial Engineering
CIP14.35
128 colleges offer Industrial Engineering. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 128
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $96,504
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $20,656
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 12
- Associate's
- 8
- Bachelor's
- 128
- Master's
- 92
- Post-baccalaureate certificate
- 4
- Doctoral
- 58
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 27
What it covers
About Industrial Engineering
A program that prepares individuals to apply scientific and mathematical principles to the design, improvement, and installation of integrated systems of people, material, information, and energy. Includes instruction in applied mathematics, physical sciences, the social sciences, engineering analysis, systems design, computer applications, and forecasting and evaluation methodology.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 14.35.
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 12 | $99,3704 yrs after · 1 college | $23,4741 college |
| Associate's | 8 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Bachelor's | 128 | $96,5044 yrs after · 87 colleges | $20,65664 colleges |
| Master's | 92 | $118,1914 yrs after · 17 colleges | $21,5283 colleges |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 4 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Doctoral | 58 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 27 | Not reported | Not reported |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where Industrial Engineering graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
Northwestern University-Illinois
Evanston, IL · Private nonprofit · 65 graduates
$138,720
debt $13,992
- 2
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA · Public · 343 graduates
$128,003
debt $20,071
- 3
Bethlehem, PA · Private nonprofit · 56 graduates
$121,498
debt $19,000
- 4
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI · Public · 141 graduates
$117,930
debt $20,500
- 5
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA · Public · 207 graduates
$116,641
debt $20,500
- 6
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA · Public · 69 graduates
$112,797
debt $18,999
- 7
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit · 53 graduates
$112,150
debt $22,500
- 8
Storrs, CT · Public · 45 graduates
$111,672
debt $20,824
- 9
Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · 80 graduates
$111,430
debt $23,750
- 10
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI · Public · 105 graduates
$110,711
debt $19,750
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Industrial Engineering by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
- Bright outlook
Management
Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers
- Median pay
- $171,270
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Complex Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
Management
Biofuels Production Managers
- Median pay
- $126,060
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Reading Comprehension
Management
Biomass Power Plant Managers
- Median pay
- $126,060
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Active Listening
Management
Geothermal Production Managers
- Median pay
- $126,060
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
Management
Hydroelectric Production Managers
- Median pay
- $126,060
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Judgment and Decision Making
Management
Industrial Production Managers
- Median pay
- $126,060
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Coordination
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
Management
Quality Control Systems Managers
- Median pay
- $126,060
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Quality Control Analysis
- Reading Comprehension
More in Engineering
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this area- Engineering, General452 colleges
- Mechanical Engineering395 colleges
- Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering387 colleges
- Computer Engineering367 colleges
- Civil Engineering300 colleges
- Biomedical/Medical Engineering200 colleges
- Chemical Engineering182 colleges
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering130 colleges
Questions about Industrial Engineering
How many colleges offer Industrial Engineering?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Industrial Engineering at these degree levels: certificate (12 colleges), associate's (8 colleges), bachelor's (128 colleges), master's (92 colleges), post-baccalaureate certificate (4 colleges), doctoral (58 colleges), graduate/professional certificate (27 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Industrial Engineering graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Industrial Engineering earn $96,504 a year four years after finishing, across 87 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Industrial Engineering graduates earn the most?
Northwestern University-Illinois reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Industrial Engineering: $138,720 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.