[College research](/) / [Rankings](/rankings/)

# Industrial Engineering Programs in the United States (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Engineering Colleges in the United States](/rankings/best-engineering-colleges/)

This page ranks the 83 Industrial Engineering programs in the United States by median earnings of Industrial Engineering graduates four years after completing. [Northwestern University](/school/northwestern-university/majors/) leads the list with median earnings of $138,720 four years after completing, a figure $10,717 ahead of second-ranked [Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus](/school/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus/majors/).

Across the listed schools, median earnings range from $138,720 to $61,020, with a median of $95,835.

Public institutions account for 71 of the 83 programs, or 86%, while 12 are private nonprofits. Oakland University posts the lowest average net price on the list at $9,120.

The University of Texas at Arlington ranks 8th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

## The ranked list

Top 25 of 83 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Northwestern University · Evanston, IL | $138,720 | $29,167 | $1,764 | 7.7% |
|  | [Northwestern University](/school/northwestern-university/majors/) ranks 1st on this list with [median earnings of $138,720](/school/northwestern-university/outcomes/) for its Industrial Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 8%. |
| 2 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus · Atlanta, GA | $128,003 | $12,116 | $7,666 | 14.1% |
|  | [Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus](/school/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus/majors/) reports [median earnings of $128,003](/school/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus/outcomes/) four years after completing, and its Industrial Engineering completers who borrowed left with a median of $19,791 in federal loans. |
| 3 | Lehigh University · Bethlehem, PA | $121,498 | $36,931 | $16,917 | 25.9% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Bethlehem, [Lehigh University](/school/lehigh-university/majors/) posts [median earnings of $121,498](/school/lehigh-university/outcomes/) for its Industrial Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 4 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI | $117,930 | $13,138 | $1,043 | 15.6% |
|  | [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](/school/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor/majors/) [admits 16% of applicants](/school/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor/admissions/) and its Industrial Engineering graduates earn a median of $117,930 four years after completing. |
| 5 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University · Blacksburg, VA | $116,641 | $24,953 | $11,689 | 54.8% |
|  | [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University](/school/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university/majors/) ranks 5th on this list, with [median earnings of $116,641](/school/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university/outcomes/) four years after completing and an average net price of $24,953. |
| 6 | 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 [median earnings of $112,797](/school/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo/outcomes/) for its Industrial Engineering graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $16,665. |
| 7 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $112,150 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
|  | [University of Southern California](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/) sits 7th on this page, with [median earnings of $112,150](/school/university-of-southern-california/outcomes/) four years after completing and a median federal debt of $17,704 among Industrial Engineering completers who borrowed. |
| 8 | University of Connecticut · Storrs, CT | $111,672 | $25,097 | $15,193 | 52.4% |
|  | An [average net price of $25,097](/school/university-of-connecticut/cost/) coincides with median earnings of $111,672 for [University of Connecticut](/school/university-of-connecticut/majors/)'s Industrial Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 9 | Northeastern University · Boston, MA | $111,430 | $30,915 | $2,264 | 5.2% |
|  | [Northeastern University](/school/northeastern-university/majors/) [admits 5% of applicants](/school/northeastern-university/admissions/), and its Industrial Engineering graduates earn a median of $111,430 four years after completing. |
| 10 | University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI | $110,711 | $17,354 | $4,200 | 45.2% |
|  | [University of Wisconsin-Madison](/school/university-of-wisconsin-madison/majors/) ranks 10th on this list, with [median earnings of $110,711](/school/university-of-wisconsin-madison/outcomes/) four years after completing and a median federal debt of $23,481 among Industrial Engineering completers who borrowed. |
| 11 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Seattle, WA | $109,575 | $14,091 | $6,384 | 39.2% |
|  | Median earnings of $109,575 four years after completing coincide with an [average net price of $14,091](/school/university-of-washington-seattle-campus/cost/) at [University of Washington-Seattle Campus](/school/university-of-washington-seattle-campus/majors/). |
| 12 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville · Knoxville, TN | $107,093 | $18,976 | $10,029 | 41.6% |
|  | [The University of Tennessee-Knoxville](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-knoxville/majors/) posts [median earnings of $107,093](/school/the-university-of-tennessee-knoxville/outcomes/) four years after completing, and its Industrial Engineering completers who borrowed left with a median of $21,500 in federal loans. |
| 13 | Purdue University-Main Campus · West Lafayette, IN | $107,031 | $14,600 | $5,098 | 49.9% |
|  | [Purdue University-Main Campus](/school/purdue-university-main-campus/majors/) reports [median earnings of $107,031](/school/purdue-university-main-campus/outcomes/) for its Industrial Engineering graduates four years after completing, with 262 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 14 | Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH | $106,932 | $17,339 | $4,885 | 60.6% |
|  | [Ohio State University-Main Campus](/school/ohio-state-university-main-campus/majors/) [admits 61% of applicants](/school/ohio-state-university-main-campus/admissions/) and posts a median of $21,000 in federal loans among Industrial Engineering completers who borrowed. |
| 15 | Rochester Institute of Technology · Rochester, NY | $105,313 | $34,906 | $24,680 | 66.9% |
|  | A private nonprofit institution in Rochester, [Rochester Institute of Technology](/school/rochester-institute-of-technology/majors/) carries an [average net price of $34,906](/school/rochester-institute-of-technology/cost/) alongside median earnings of $105,313 four years after completing. |
| 16 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus · University Park, PA | $104,758 | $32,875 | $19,845 | 60.6% |
|  | [Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus](/school/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus/majors/) ranks 16th on this list and shows an [average net price of $19,845](/school/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |
| 17 | University of Louisville · Louisville, KY | $104,538 | $17,988 | $15,138 | 79.4% |
|  | [University of Louisville](/school/university-of-louisville/majors/) reports 28 graduates in the earnings cohort and a [median of $23,000](/school/university-of-louisville/outcomes/) in federal loans among Industrial Engineering completers who borrowed. |
| 18 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL | $103,143 | $14,355 | $2,038 | 42.4% |
|  | With an [admission rate of 42%](/school/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign/admissions/), [University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign](/school/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign/majors/) places 35th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $103,143 four years after completing. |
| 19 | SUNY Maritime College · Throggs Neck, NY | $102,563 | $22,367 | $11,726 | 72.4% |
|  | [SUNY Maritime College](/school/suny-maritime-college/majors/) [admits 72% of applicants](/school/suny-maritime-college/admissions/) and lists an average net price of $22,367. |
| 20 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion · Tempe, AZ | $102,439 | $14,967 | $9,070 | 89.9% |
|  | [Arizona State University Campus Immersion](/school/arizona-state-university-campus-immersion/majors/) ranks 20th on this list, with [median earnings of $102,439](/school/arizona-state-university-campus-immersion/outcomes/) for its Industrial Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 21 | Oakland University · Rochester Hills, MI | $102,222 | $9,120 | $4,422 | 87.8% |
|  | [Oakland University](/school/oakland-university/majors/) carries an [average net price of $4,422](/school/oakland-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 and reports 28 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 22 | Wayne State University · Detroit, MI | $101,990 | $12,766 | $11,090 | 81.2% |
|  | [Wayne State University](/school/wayne-state-university/majors/) posts a [median of $21,126](/school/wayne-state-university/outcomes/) in federal loans among Industrial Engineering completers who borrowed and ranks 80th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 23 | Oregon State University · Corvallis, OR | $101,653 | $19,604 | $12,107 | 77.3% |
|  | [Oregon State University](/school/oregon-state-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $101,653](/school/oregon-state-university/outcomes/) for its Industrial Engineering graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 77%. |
| 24 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute · Worcester, MA | $101,554 | $43,071 | $24,018 | 60.2% |
|  | [Worcester Polytechnic Institute](/school/worcester-polytechnic-institute/majors/) [admits 60% of applicants](/school/worcester-polytechnic-institute/admissions/) and shows an average net price of $24,018 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 25 | New Jersey Institute of Technology · Newark, NJ | $101,547 | $16,504 | $10,138 | 65.1% |
|  | [New Jersey Institute of Technology](/school/new-jersey-institute-of-technology/majors/) reports [median earnings of $101,547](/school/new-jersey-institute-of-technology/outcomes/) for its Industrial Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside a median federal debt of $25,000 among Industrial Engineering completers who borrowed. |

Continue by region[Best Industrial Engineering Programs in the Midwest](/rankings/best-industrial-engineering-programs-in-the-midwest/)[Best Industrial Engineering Programs in the Northeast](/rankings/best-industrial-engineering-programs-in-the-northeast/)[Best Industrial Engineering Programs in the South](/rankings/best-industrial-engineering-programs-in-the-south/)[Best Industrial Engineering Programs in the West](/rankings/best-industrial-engineering-programs-in-the-west/)

## 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 the United States appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 3 of the 83 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 differences in who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between first-ranked Northwestern University and second-ranked Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus is $10,717.

## Job market context in the United States

Industrial Engineering graduates in the United States enter occupations such as Industrial Engineers. The median annual wage across those occupations is $104,835, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $85,688. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 6.5% higher, with about 1,026 openings a year for every hundred graduates, more projected openings than graduates. 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, not the earnings of any listed program.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Engineering Colleges in the United States](/rankings/best-engineering-colleges/)
-   Engineering Colleges for Social Mobility