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# Best Industrial Engineering Programs in California (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Engineering Colleges in California](/rankings/best-engineering-colleges-in-california/)

This page ranks the 5 Industrial Engineering programs in California by median earnings of Industrial Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/majors/) leads the list at $112,797, followed by [University of Southern California](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/) at $112,150 and [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/majors/) at $95,835.

Across the listed schools, median earnings range from $112,797 to $61,020, with a median of $95,835. For 1 of the 5 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions account for 80% of the list, with 4 public and 1 private nonprofit program. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona ranks 15th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

California State University-East Bay posts the lowest average net price at $9,320, while California State University-East Bay has the highest admission rate, admitting 97% of applicants.

## The ranked list

5 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA | $112,797 | $16,665 | $7,529 | 31.3% |
|  | [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/majors/) reports [$112,797 in median earnings](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/outcomes/) for its Industrial Engineering graduates four years after completing, with 72 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 2 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $112,150 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Los Angeles, [University of Southern California](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/) [admits 10% of applicants](/school/university-of-southern-california/admissions/) and posts median earnings of $112,150 for its Industrial Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 3 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona · Pomona, CA | $95,835 | $11,531 | $7,851 | 75.2% |
|  | [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/majors/) carries an [average net price of $11,531](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/cost/) and ranks 15th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 4 | California State University-East Bay · Hayward, CA | $93,793 | $9,320 | $6,360 | 97.4% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a [median of $16,544](/school/california-state-university-east-bay/outcomes/) in federal loans at [California State University-East Bay](/school/california-state-university-east-bay/majors/), which ranks 4th on this list with median earnings of $93,793 four years after completing. |
| 5 | San Jose State University · San Jose, CA | $61,020 | $13,760 | $9,730 | 84.6% |
|  | [San Jose State University](/school/san-jose-state-university/majors/) shows an [admission rate of 85%](/school/san-jose-state-university/admissions/) and an average net price of $9,730 for families earning under $30,000. |

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Industrial Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in California appear. The figures cover federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 1 of the 5 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo at $112,797 to the lowest listed figure of $61,020 spans $51,777, with a gap of just $647 between California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo and University of Southern California.

## Job market context in California

Industrial Engineering graduates in California enter occupations such as Industrial Engineers. The median annual wage across those occupations is $124,600, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $98,380. State projections for 2024 to 2034 count about 6,300 openings a year, or about 2,325 openings a year for every hundred graduates, with more projected openings than graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 6.3% higher. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing; the market figures describe the occupations, and the two are not the same measure.

## Related rankings

-   [Industrial Engineering Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-industrial-engineering-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in California](/rankings/best-colleges-in-california/)
-   [Best Industrial Engineering Programs in New York](/rankings/best-industrial-engineering-programs-in-new-york/)
-   Industrial Engineering Programs in Illinois
-   Industrial Engineering Programs in Michigan
-   Industrial Engineering Programs in Texas
-   [Best Engineering Colleges in California](/rankings/best-engineering-colleges-in-california/)
-   Engineering Colleges in California for Social Mobility