U.S. median for this major: $98,028.
College Scorecard field of study; 21 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 29% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $28,851. College Scorecard.
Northern Illinois University Industrial Engineering: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Industrial Engineering nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Northern Illinois University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $10,126 | $44,453 | 1.0 years |
| $30–48k | $9,854 | $43,259 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $12,797 | $56,179 | 1.2 years |
| $75–110k | $17,612 | $77,317 | 1.7 years |
| $110k+ | $21,834 | $95,851 | 2.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (33% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Industrial Engineering graduates 4 years after graduating ($82,584) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $46,787 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Industrial Engineering at Illinois colleges
Every Illinois college we cover that reports Industrial Engineering graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwestern University | $138,720 | $17,912 | $29,167 | 95% |
| 2 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $103,143 | $22,330 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 3 | Bradley University | $89,362 | $25,788 | $22,719 | 76% |
| 4 | University of Illinois Chicago | $86,202 | $22,247 | $10,974 | 62% |
| 5 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $82,744 | — | $14,889 | 57% |
| 6 | Northern Illinois University | $82,584 | $23,750 | $13,391 | 49% |
Careers for Industrial Engineering graduates
Industrial engineer
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +12.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Industrial Production Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +2.6% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Architectural and Engineering Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.5% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Northern Illinois University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Northern Illinois University
- Acceptance rate: 70% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 49% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $57,808
- Full cost breakdown · all 57 majors · overview
Related majors at Northern Illinois University
- Mechanical Engineering$86,999
- Electrical Engineering$93,962
- Engineering—
Northern Illinois University Industrial Engineering questions
How much do Northern Illinois University Industrial Engineering graduates earn?
Industrial Engineering graduates of Northern Illinois University earn a median $82,584 four years after graduating and $72,112 one year after. The U.S. median for Industrial Engineering graduates across 94 colleges is $98,028.
How much debt do Northern Illinois University Industrial Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Industrial Engineering graduates of Northern Illinois University is $23,750, about 29% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is Northern Illinois University a good school for Industrial Engineering in Illinois?
On pay, Industrial Engineering graduates of Northern Illinois University earn $82,584 four years out, $5,198 below the median for the same major across 6 Illinois colleges ($87,782) and $15,444 below the U.S. median ($98,028). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Northern Illinois University rank for Industrial Engineering in Illinois?
Of 6 Illinois colleges reporting Industrial Engineering graduate earnings, Northern Illinois University ranks 6th. The highest is Northwestern University at $138,720.
What jobs do Industrial Engineering graduates get?
A common career is industrial engineer, with a median wage of $101,760 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN area and $102,440 nationally. Others include industrial production managers and architectural and engineering managers.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Northern Illinois University Industrial Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-illinois-university/majors/industrial-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).