by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 137 U.S. colleges awarded 8,023 degrees and certificates in Industrial Engineering. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 59% of graduates. College Factual ranks 105 schools in its 2027 Best Industrial Engineering Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $77,111 one year after completing, rising to $102,048 after four years.
When resources are wasted in manufacturing, money is also being wasted. Industrial Engineering (IE) graduates use their skills to help create ways to efficiently use resources during production processes and save companies money that they can reinvest into their business.
Industrial Engineering students focus on how people use production systems, so they can make the systems easier to use. By discovering ways to help people use these systems more efficiently, less resources are wasted and more products are created. To learn these skills, students take classes in calculus, design, mechanics, engineering, and applied mathematics along with classes on ergonomics and how people factor into the production process.
A degree in Industrial Engineering explores Industrial Engineering.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, industrial engineering is a widely-pursued major, with 8,023 degrees awarded annually. 137 colleges award industrial engineering degrees, an average of 59 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 495.
By level, the 8,023 awards include 25 associate degrees, 4,714 bachelor’s degrees, 2,886 master’s degrees and 396 doctorates.
Women earned 32% of industrial engineering degrees and certificates in the latest year (2,558 of 8,023). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (2,948) and Hispanic or Latino (922), and international students earned 2,742.
College Factual ranks 105 schools in its 2027 Best Industrial Engineering Schools ranking, including 1 for associate degrees, 88 for bachelor’s degrees, 61 for master’s degrees and 16 for doctorates. It also ranks industrial engineering schools within 38 states. In all, 137 colleges offer industrial engineering programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Industrial Engineering Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common industrial engineering credential is the bachelor’s degree: 4,714 of the 8,023 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to industrial engineering call most for Speaking, Reading Comprehension and Critical Thinking, and for knowledge of Engineering and Technology, English Language and Mathematics, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension and Written Comprehension.
Since Industrial Engineering takes into account the role people have in production, Industrial Engineers must have good interpersonal and communication skills. They will spend their time talking with customers and production staff about what improvements need to be made and how they will affect employees. Industrial Engineering students must also have strong critical thinking skills to create ideas for improving efficiency and teamwork skills to work with other professionals in testing and implementing solutions.
Industrial engineers work full time in office settings. They will occasional make visits to a factory or the company they are working with to observe employees and machinery, but planning is often done on computers through the use of computer-aided design programs.
Proper schooling along with relevant experience is required when pursuing a career in Industrial Engineering. It is recommended that students work a summer job or internship or participate in a cooperative-education program in this field while in school to gain additional, hands-on experience.
While a bachelor's degree will allow graduates to find entry-level jobs in this field, some Industrial Engineering professionals decide to get their master's degree. This advanced degree along with previous experience may lead to jobs with a higher salary.
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How long an industrial engineering degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 25 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 4,714 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 2,886 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 396 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to industrial engineering, at 36.0%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 36.0% |
| Doctoral degree | 17.4% |
| Master’s degree | 10.0% |
| Some college courses | 7.9% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 5.6% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 5.3% |
| Post-doctoral training | 5.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 4.7% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.6% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.5% |
| First professional degree | 0.6% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.3% |
Source: O*NET Online.
13 occupations are related to Industrial Engineering, with an average median salary of $113,703; the strongest outlook belongs to Hydroelectric Production Managers, at 14.5% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Plant Manager, Electronics Engineering Professor, Mechanical Engineering Teacher and Lecturer.
There are many possible careers for Industrial Engineering students. Some graduates have pursued careers in the aeronautics field, while others have gone to work at engineering firms, automobile manufacturers, or for architectural companies. Industrial Engineering graduates have a broad education that makes them well prepared for jobs in a variety of different industries.
Graduates should still be able to find jobs due to their versatile education. Many industries use machinery or production systems allowing Industrial Engineer graduates many career options.
The occupation related to industrial engineering with the most projected jobs is Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,297,204.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,297,204 | -2.0% |
| Geothermal Production Managers | 503,620 | 1.9% |
| Biomass Power Plant Managers | 450,707 | 4.2% |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 440,884 | 8.0% |
| Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists | 395,031 | 12.1% |
| Validation Engineers | 298,574 | 4.8% |
| Quality Control Systems Managers | 241,551 | -3.1% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 219,777 | -3.0% |
Industrial Engineering graduates earn a median $77,111 one year after completing their program, $102,048 after four years and $100,562 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $77,111 |
| 4 years | $102,048 |
| 5 years | $100,562 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to industrial engineering is Biofuels Production Managers, with a median salary of $164,096.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Biofuels Production Managers | $164,096 |
| Geothermal Production Managers | $160,381 |
| Biomass Power Plant Managers | $146,025 |
| Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists | $128,495 |
| Industrial Production Managers | $126,666 |
| Industrial Engineers | $120,863 |
| Quality Control Systems Managers | $108,531 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $101,277 |
Industrial Engineering includes 1 concentration; by graduates, the largest is Industrial Engineering (8,023). It has 40 similar majors in the Engineering field, which together award 195,012 degrees a year; the largest are Mechanical Engineering (43,874), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (27,513) and Computer Engineering (21,335). Browse all Engineering majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Industrial Engineering | 8,023 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | 43,874 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 27,513 |
| Computer Engineering | 21,335 |
| Civil Engineering | 19,856 |
| Engineering, General | 14,789 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 14,592 |
| Chemical Engineering | 10,559 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 10,170 |
| Systems Engineering | 4,489 |
| Engineering, Other | 3,344 |
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