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Industrial Engineering

Types of Degrees Industrial Engineering Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing 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

Studies in Industrial Engineering develop 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

Coursework in 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

The cognitive and physical 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 Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite 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	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Industrial Engineering graduates include:

• Plant Manager
• Surveying Teacher
• Aeronautical Engineering Professor
• Robotics Instructor
• Metallography Teacher
• Hydraulics Teacher
• Aeronautical Engineering Teacher
• Electronics Teacher
• Civil Engineering Professor
• College Professor
• Electronics Engineering Professor
• Mechanical Engineering Teacher
• Lecturer
• Heat Engineering Teacher
• Architectural Engineering 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?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Industrial Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow 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

Distance learning is reported 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?

Looking purely at 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	CIP Code
Engineering	14
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	14.02
Agricultural Engineering	14.03
Architectural Engineering	14.04
Biochemical Engineering	14.43
Biological/Biosystems Engineering	14.45
Biomedical/Medical Engineering	14.05
Ceramic Sciences and Engineering	14.06
Chemical Engineering	14.07
Civil Engineering	14.08
Computer Engineering	14.09
Construction Engineering	14.33

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.