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Best Schools for Industrial Engineering

Industrial Engineering graduates earn a median of $97,664 within four years of graduating, ranking #16 out of 283 tracked majors — 56% above the median across all fields. There are 93 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 4,576 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: Northwestern University graduates earn $138,720 while Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon graduates earn $56,541 — a $82,179 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap. Across all fields, though, which major you pick separates earnings more than which college does.

Early career salary growth is modest: Industrial Engineering graduates see an average 2% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

93

Schools

$97,664

Avg. 2yr Earnings

#16

of 283 Majors

4,576

Graduates

Public vs Private: Industrial Engineering

Public (78 schools)

$97,311

avg. 2yr earnings

Private (15 schools)

$99,499

avg. 2yr earnings

Private schools produce $2,188 more in early earnings on average for Industrial Engineering graduates. Factor in tuition difference to calculate which offers better ROI.

Industrial Engineering by State

Also by state: Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Virginia

Top Industrial Engineering Schools by Graduate Earnings

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL · Private

2yr: $79,849 (54)

1yr: $84,644 (54)

Acceptance: 7.1%

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus

Atlanta, GA · Public

2yr: $76,283 (247)

1yr: $74,354 (241)

Acceptance: 16.5%

Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA · Private

2yr: $75,623 (46)

1yr: $72,069 (32)

Acceptance: 29.3%

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI · Public

2yr: $77,235 (151)

1yr: $75,644 (166)

Acceptance: 17.9%

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA · Public

2yr: $70,628 (170)

1yr: $70,925 (117)

Acceptance: 57.0%

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA · Public

2yr: $73,562 (53)

1yr: $72,643 (70)

Acceptance: 29.8%

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA · Private

2yr: $78,029 (61)

1yr: $70,709 (44)

Acceptance: 10.0%

University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT · Public

26 grads · small sample

2yr: $82,440 (14)

1yr: $72,315 (24)

Acceptance: 53.9%

University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus

Waterbury, CT · Public

26 grads · small sample

2yr: $82,440 (14)

1yr: $72,315 (24)

Acceptance: 87.0%

University of Connecticut-Avery Point

Groton, CT · Public

26 grads · small sample

2yr: $82,440 (14)

1yr: $72,315 (24)

Acceptance: 86.5%

University of Connecticut-Stamford

Stamford, CT · Public

26 grads · small sample

2yr: $82,440 (14)

1yr: $72,315 (24)

Acceptance: 80.2%

University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus

Hartford, CT · Public

26 grads · small sample

2yr: $82,440 (14)

1yr: $72,315 (24)

Acceptance: 86.5%

Northeastern University

Boston, MA · Private

2yr: $66,541 (39)

1yr: $69,499 (37)

Acceptance: 5.7%

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, WI · Public

2yr: $72,895 (54)

1yr: $74,061 (51)

Acceptance: 43.4%

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA · Public

2yr: $66,189 (37)

1yr: $70,127 (33)

Acceptance: 42.5%

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Knoxville, TN · Public

30 grads · small sample

2yr: $69,338 (23)

1yr: $72,052 (37)

Acceptance: 46.0%

Purdue University-Main Campus

West Lafayette, IN · Public

2yr: $70,057 (60)

1yr: $70,780 (111)

Acceptance: 50.3%

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Columbus, OH · Public

2yr: $75,667 (135)

1yr: $70,911 (92)

Acceptance: 50.8%

Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY · Private

2yr: $68,219 (19)

1yr: $71,306 (28)

Acceptance: 71.4%

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College

Erie, PA · Public

2yr: $71,286 (169)

1yr: $69,173 (136)

Acceptance: 95.7%

Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

University Park, PA · Public

2yr: $71,286 (169)

1yr: $69,173 (136)

Acceptance: 54.2%

University of Louisville

Louisville, KY · Public

1yr: $67,572 (25)

Acceptance: 80.5%

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL · Public

2yr: $75,775 (42)

1yr: $68,901 (37)

Acceptance: 43.7%

SUNY Maritime College

Throggs Neck, NY · Public

21 grads · small sample

2yr: $79,081 (28)

1yr: $74,670 (17)

Acceptance: 78.5%

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Tempe, AZ · Public

2yr: $66,821 (25)

1yr: $68,675 (39)

Acceptance: 90.2%

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, MI · Public

21 grads · small sample

1yr: $71,468 (18)

Acceptance: 70.2%

Wayne State University

Detroit, MI · Public

22 grads · small sample

2yr: $77,401 (15)

Acceptance: 82.0%

Oregon State University

Corvallis, OR · Public

2yr: $67,420 (31)

1yr: $65,943 (45)

Acceptance: 78.8%

Oregon State University-Cascades Campus

Bend, OR · Public

2yr: $67,420 (31)

1yr: $65,943 (45)

Acceptance: 68.4%

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA · Private

22 grads · small sample

2yr: $76,460 (17)

1yr: $72,720 (20)

Acceptance: 58.5%

New Jersey Institute of Technology

Newark, NJ · Public

2yr: $59,124 (20)

1yr: $66,964 (30)

Acceptance: 66.9%

University of Missouri-Columbia

Columbia, MO · Public

2yr: $69,338 (39)

1yr: $70,396 (38)

Acceptance: 77.0%

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh, NC · Public

2yr: $70,253 (43)

1yr: $66,081 (73)

Acceptance: 39.9%

Auburn University

Auburn, AL · Public

2yr: $65,170 (74)

1yr: $66,558 (69)

Acceptance: 50.5%

Ohio University-Main Campus

Athens, OH · Public

26 grads · small sample

2yr: $61,020 (24)

1yr: $63,889 (30)

Acceptance: 84.8%

West Virginia University

Morgantown, WV · Public

2yr: $68,047 (68)

1yr: $66,292 (105)

Acceptance: 86.3%

University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL · Private

2yr: $65,238 (25)

1yr: $58,892 (33)

Acceptance: 18.5%

University of Arkansas

Fayetteville, AR · Public

2yr: $71,854 (38)

1yr: $67,048 (59)

Acceptance: 71.7%

University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Pittsburgh, PA · Public

2yr: $69,835 (80)

1yr: $70,813 (81)

Acceptance: 49.7%

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY · Private

2yr: $77,213 (50)

1yr: $65,458 (49)

Acceptance: 58.5%

University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus

Norman, OK · Public

2yr: $70,176 (35)

1yr: $68,265 (46)

Acceptance: 76.5%

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX · Public

2yr: $66,821 (30)

1yr: $62,931 (66)

Acceptance: 70.9%

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Amherst, MA · Public

19 grads · small sample

2yr: $69,338 (11)

1yr: $72,455 (28)

Acceptance: 57.8%

The University of Texas at Arlington

Arlington, TX · Public

2yr: $67,202 (46)

1yr: $58,154 (46)

Acceptance: 81.3%

University of Minnesota-Duluth

Duluth, MN · Public

26 grads · small sample

1yr: $65,106 (20)

Acceptance: 81.8%

Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL · Public

2yr: $71,643 (16)

1yr: $65,561 (35)

Acceptance: 25.4%

Texas A&M University-College Station

College Station, TX · Public

2yr: $67,571 (145)

1yr: $67,166 (240)

Acceptance: 63.2%

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

Pomona, CA · Public

2yr: $67,287 (70)

1yr: $65,420 (90)

Acceptance: 73.7%

Binghamton University

Vestal, NY · Public

2yr: $63,430 (50)

1yr: $63,977 (82)

Acceptance: 37.7%

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA · Public

2yr: $71,351 (34)

1yr: $67,231 (41)

Acceptance: 84.7%

Showing top 50 of 93 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering $69,341 Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology $68,764 Computational Science $67,660 Manufacturing Engineering $67,653 Computer Science $67,635 Metallurgical Engineering $66,313

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Industrial Engineering?

Northwestern University ranks #1 for Industrial Engineering with median graduate earnings of $138,720 within four years of graduating. There are 93 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.

How much do Industrial Engineering graduates earn?

Industrial Engineering graduates earn an average of $97,664 within four years of graduating. This is 56% above the median across all majors. Earnings range from $56,541 to $138,720 depending on the school.

How hard is it to get into a top Industrial Engineering program?

The average acceptance rate across Industrial Engineering programs is 66.5%. The most selective program is at Northeastern University with a 5.7% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.

Is a public or private school better for Industrial Engineering?

Private Industrial Engineering programs average $99,499 in early earnings vs $97,311 at public schools. Private schools lead in earnings, but cost significantly more — calculate net price before deciding.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders, from the field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release — Scorecard publishes the two separately.

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