Compare 31 Industrial Engineering. programs in the Midwest. Average earnings: $80,312.
With top graduates earning $107,105, Industrial Engineering stands out as a field where program choice matters more than school name. The gap between the best and median programs exceeds $27K—proof that evaluating programs individually beats relying on institutional prestige.
Northwestern University's Industrial Engineering program leads with graduates earning $107,105, well above the $80,312 average across 31 Midwest programs. But Ohio State University-Main Campus follows closely at $95,405 with 51% acceptance versus Northwestern's 7%, demonstrating that accessible programs can deliver strong outcomes.
Northwestern graduates borrow just $15,000 and face a 2.4% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category—loan payments barely dent their $107K salaries. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.14, graduates can clear their student debt with about two months of income.
Highest program earnings: $107,105
Strong outcomes ($95,405) with 51% acceptance
2.4% payment burden | Excellent
7.5% family burden | Excellent
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Cohort Size | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Northwestern UniversityPrivate | $107,105 | 87 | $15,000 | Excellent | $26,966 | Excellent |
| #2 | $95,405 | 122 | $19,976 | Excellent | $25,868 | Good | |
| #3 | $95,113 | 116 | $20,484 | Excellent | $28,364 | Good | |
| #4 | $95,066 | 68 | $19,500 | Excellent | $34,511 | Good | |
| #5 | $94,917 | 184 | $19,500 | Excellent | $30,250 | Good | |
| #6 | $92,621 | 276 | $19,500 | Excellent | $29,448 | Good | |
| #7 | Kansas State UniversityPublic | $91,252 | 66 | $21,250 | Excellent | $27,283 | Good |
| #8 | $85,193 | 39 | $20,500 | Excellent | $32,529 | Manageable | |
| #9 | Kettering UniversityPrivate | $85,107 | 23 | $27,000 | Excellent | $35,000 | Manageable |
| #10 | University Of IowaPublic | $83,890 | 40 | $22,500 | Excellent | $27,975 | Manageable |
| #11 | $83,267 | 85 | $19,500 | Excellent | $25,729 | Good | |
| #12 | Bradley UniversityPrivate | $82,984 | 12 | $27,000 | Excellent | $41,405 | Manageable |
| #13 | $82,393 | 20 | $26,391 | Excellent | $12,484 | Good | |
| #14 | $78,391 | 17 | $26,188 | Excellent | $22,488 | Manageable | |
| #15 | $77,781 | 16 | $22,024 | Excellent | $22,127 | Good | |
| #16 | Iowa State UniversityPublic | $77,569 | 124 | $22,869 | Excellent | $25,950 | Manageable |
| #17 | Wayne State UniversityPublic | $77,401 | 26 | $21,250 | Excellent | $16,378 | Good |
| #18 | Oakland UniversityPublic | $77,169 | 31 | $22,750 | Excellent | $17,858 | Good |
| #19 | $76,872 | 23 | $22,162 | Excellent | $19,508 | Good | |
| #20 | $75,712 | 26 | $27,000 | Excellent | $34,081 | Manageable | |
| #21 | $75,456 | 54 | $21,977 | Excellent | $15,000 | Good | |
| #22 | $74,773 | 26 | $23,199 | Excellent | $14,621 | Good | |
| #23 | $74,580 | 19 | $21,056 | Excellent | $23,508 | Manageable | |
| #24 | $74,149 | 24 | $16,704 | Excellent | $24,323 | Good | |
| #25 | $73,092 | 27 | $20,500 | Excellent | $21,500 | Manageable |
Our program rankings answer: "Which schools have the best outcomes for graduates of this specific major?"
Unlike traditional rankings that measure overall school quality, these rankings focus on program-level outcomes. A school that's #200 overall might have a top-10 nursing program — and that matters if you're studying nursing.
Data based on 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
