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Industrial Engineering

Instructional content is defined in code 14.3501.

Types of Degrees Industrial Engineering Majors Are Earning

Those studying Industrial Engineering have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	16
Bachelor’s Degree	4,848
Master’s Degree	3,266
Doctor’s Degree	384

What Industrial Engineering Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Industrial Engineering build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Industrial Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Industrial Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Industrial Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Industrial Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Industrial Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Industrial Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Industrial Engineering graduates include:

• Plant Manager
• Environmental Engineering Professor
• Mechanical Drawing Teacher
• Marine Engineering Professor
• Radio Engineering Teacher
• Civil Engineering Teacher
• Engineering Teacher
• Marine Engineering Teacher
• Geological Engineering Teacher
• Chemical Engineering Professor
• Highway Engineering Teacher
• Electronic Science Teacher
• Associate Professor
• Drawing Instructor
• Electronics Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Industrial Engineering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share 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: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Industrial Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 68.7% of Industrial Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	2,669	31.3%
Men	5,864	68.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Industrial Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	3,153	37.0%
Asian	734	8.6%
Hispanic or Latino	930	10.9%
Black or African American	313	3.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	10	0.1%
Two or More Races	218	2.6%
Race Unknown	166	1.9%
International Students	3,009	35.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Industrial Engineering Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Industrial Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$77,049
4 years	$88,006
5 years	$100,420

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $100,420 — roughly 30% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Industrial Engineering Programs

Fully online options is tracked by IPEDS for Industrial Engineering. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	1	0
Bachelor’s	2	4
Master’s	17	22
Doctoral (Research)	1	5

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Industrial Engineering Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Industrial Engineering graduates earn a median of $88,006 four years after completion — roughly 132% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Engineering	197,615
Mechanical Engineering	42,939
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering	26,760
Civil Engineering	20,005
Computer Engineering	19,986
Biomedical/Medical Engineering	13,914
Engineering, General	13,411
Chemical Engineering	10,939
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	9,596
Systems Engineering	3,956
Engineering, Other	3,529
Materials Engineering	3,129

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.