Industrial Engineering degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in industrial engineering earn a median $98,028 four years after finishing, across 94 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in industrial and manufacturing engineering earn $88,300, $26,251 more than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is industrial engineers, including health and safety (13%).
Median across 94 colleges; middle half $91,806–$102,563.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $56,977–$112,426. 1,722 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Industrial And Manufacturing Engineering"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$52,662/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs industrial engineering graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in industrial and manufacturing engineering actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Engineers, Including Health And Safety | 13% | $102,670 | +12.0% | — | — |
| Other Managers | 6% | — | — | — | — |
| Other Engineers | 5% | — | — | — | — |
| Management Analysts | 4% | $101,860 | +10.1% | Bachelor's degree | CIE |
| Mechanical Engineers | 3% | $104,110 | +11.2% | Bachelor's degree | RIC |
| Project Management Specialists | 3% | $102,320 | +6.7% | Bachelor's degree | EC |
| Software Developers | 3% | $135,980 | +10.2% | Bachelor's degree | IC |
| Civil Engineers | 2% | $100,840 | +6.4% | Bachelor's degree | RIC |
These 8 jobs account for 40% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Industrial Engineering earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| California | $103,992 (4) | $112,165 (184) |
| Connecticut | $111,672 (5) | — |
| Florida | $94,067 (4) | $53,696 (145) |
| Georgia | — | $89,205 (100) |
| Illinois | $87,782 (6) | — |
| Indiana | $90,363 (3) | — |
| Massachusetts | $101,554 (3) | — |
| Michigan | $101,990 (5) | — |
| New York | $98,509 (5) | — |
| Ohio | $99,364 (9) | — |
| Pennsylvania | $104,758 (4) | — |
| Texas | $93,310 (8) | $78,204 (201) |
| Wisconsin | $88,098 (4) | — |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where industrial engineering graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 5 in Florida, 2 in Virginia, 8 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVA | $116,641 | $22,870 |
| 2 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCA | $112,797 | $19,691 |
| 3 | University of Southern CaliforniaCA | $112,150 | $18,250 |
| 4 | University of MiamiFL | $99,068 | $15,110 |
| 5 | Florida State UniversityFL | $96,504 | $20,000 |
| 6 | California State Polytechnic University-PomonaCA | $95,835 | $25,000 |
| 7 | Liberty UniversityVA | $94,928 | — |
| 8 | California State University-East BayCA | $93,793 | — |
| 9 | University of Central FloridaFL | $91,630 | $26,273 |
| 10 | University of South FloridaFL | $90,040 | $24,633 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Industrial Engineering degree questions
How much do Industrial Engineering graduates make?
Industrial Engineering graduates earn a median $98,028 four years after finishing, across 94 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $91,806 to $102,563; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in industrial and manufacturing engineering, the median is $88,300 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Industrial Engineering degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in industrial and manufacturing engineering earn a median $88,300: $26,251 more than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $52,662 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Industrial Engineering graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in industrial and manufacturing engineering, the most common jobs are industrial engineers, including health and safety (13%), other managers (6%), other engineers (5%). Industrial Engineers, Including Health And Safety earn a U.S. median $102,670.
How much do Industrial Engineering graduates earn in Florida?
Across 4 Florida colleges reporting, Industrial Engineering graduates earn a median $94,067 four years after graduating; at ages 25-34, Floridians with this field of degree earn $53,696.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Industrial Engineering degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/industrial-engineering.