Industrial Engineering: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Industrial Engineering graduates earn a median $98,442 four years after finishing — $50,082/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,906/yr net price ($67,624 over four years), that pays back in about 1.4 years. Federal data pools 132 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 5,542 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Industrial Engineering ranks #9 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 96% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwestern University | IL | $138,720 |
| 2 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | GA | $128,003 |
| 3 | Lehigh University | PA | $121,498 |
| 4 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $117,930 |
| 5 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | VA | $116,641 |
| 6 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | CA | $112,797 |
| 7 | University of Southern California | CA | $112,150 |
| 8 | University of Connecticut | CT | $111,672 |
| 9 | University of Connecticut-Stamford | CT | $111,672 |
| 10 | University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus | CT | $111,672 |
| 11 | Northeastern University | MA | $111,430 |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | WI | $110,711 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.