Database Architects
Median wage · national
$139,500
Range: $109K – $169K
Employed
67K
Openings/yr
4K
Typically: bachelor's degree
STEM
Industrial Engineer
With a national median of $102,440 and +12.4% projected job growth through 2035, Industrial Engineer offers both strong financial return and stable long-term demand.
About Industrial Engineer
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a industrial engineer: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Industrial Engineering and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
Design, develop, test, and evaluate integrated systems for managing industrial production processes, including human work factors, quality control, inventory control, logistics and material flow, cost analysis, and production coordination.
- Median Wage
- $102,440
- Employed Nationally
- 366K
- Openings / Year
- 23,100
- Entry Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Job Zone
- Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
Also known as:
Continuous Improvement Engineer
District Plant Engineer
Documentation Engineer
Efficiency Analyst
Efficiency Engineer
How Much Do Industrial Engineers Make?
Most industrial engineers take home around $102,440 a year, well above what most college graduates make. Half earn somewhere between $83,600 and $129,250, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. Worth weighing against how long the training takes. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
$102,440
National Median (Annual)
Well above average for college graduates.
$84K–$129K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$83,600
Entry-level
$102,440
Median
$129,250
Experienced
What Do Industrial Engineers Do?
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
What You'll Do
- Estimate production costs, cost saving methods, and the effects of product design changes on expenditures for management review, action, and control.
- Plan and establish sequence of operations to fabricate and assemble parts or products and to promote efficient utilization.
- Analyze statistical data and product specifications to determine standards and establish quality and reliability objectives of finished product.
- Confer with clients, vendors, staff, and management personnel regarding purchases, product and production specifications, manufacturing capabilities, or project status.
- Communicate with management and user personnel to develop production and design standards.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Reading Comprehension
Writing
Speaking
Complex Problem Solving
Reading Comprehension
Who Thrives Here
I
Investigative
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
I
Investigative
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
C
Conventional
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
Where Do Industrial Engineers Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
Moderate
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
What Is the Job Outlook for Industrial Engineers?
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +12.4%, meaning it is growing faster than most occupations, so jobs should be easier to find over time. Around 23,100 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
↗ +12.4%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)
Faster than average.
23,100
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
366K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Industrial Engineer professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $102,440 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 32,680 | $124,600 | +21.6% |
| 2 | Michigan | 30,990 | $101,680 | -0.7% |
| 3 | Texas | 30,980 | $104,560 | +2.1% |
| 4 | Ohio | 23,480 | $100,060 | -2.3% |
| 5 | Illinois | 18,640 | $100,540 | -1.9% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
To get hired here you will usually need a bachelor's degree. The 4 programs below are the most common routes in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
The next most common path is an Environmental Tech program and the colleges offering it, which suits a different kind of applicant.
Typical Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
Job Zone
Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Industrial Engineering | 8,722 | $98,442 | 155 |
| 2 | Environmental Tech | 7,918 | $89,619 | 227 |
| 3 | Systems Engineering | 4,148 | $105,185 | 119 |
| 4 | Manufacturing Engineering | 942 | $88,451 | 85 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Industrial Engineers
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States Air Force Academy USAF Academy, CO | 96 | — | — |
| 2 | United States Military Academy West Point, NY | 96 | — | — |
| 3 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 93 | $12,548 | $82,511 |
| 4 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | 93 | $12,470 | $84,943 |
| 5 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 6 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | 92 | $14,251 | $80,735 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Industrial Engineer, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Industrial Engineer pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Industrial Engineer Pros & Cons
Strong earnings and growing demand make Industrial Engineer a compelling path. The 4 strengths and 1 trade-offs below are drawn from BLS wage data and employment projections.
PROS
- Very high median salary The national median of $102,440 places this career well above average for college graduates, with significant upside at the 75th percentile.
- Fast-growing field At +12.4% projected growth through 2035, this career grows faster than the national average of about +5%. A strong signal for long-term demand.
- High earning ceiling Top earners (75th percentile) reach $129,250 annually. Strong performers, specialists, and those in high-cost markets have significant upside beyond the median.
- Wide job market 366K professionals are employed in this field, large enough to offer geographic flexibility and multiple entry paths.
CONS
- Multi-year ramp before career-level pay This is a Job Zone 4 occupation, these positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles. Most workers in this field spend their first several years at entry-level pay well below the $102,440 median while building the experience employers require.
Industrial Engineer Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Industrial Engineer professionals earn?
Around $102,440 a year for the typical worker, well into the top quartile of US wages. The middle 50% of earners fall between $83,600 and $129,250. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Industrial Engineer a good career?
Yes, the data is strong. Median pay of $102,440 with +12.4% projected growth through 2035 is a combination most fields cannot match. The real variable is early career: workers around the 25th percentile earn $83,600, so your first employer and location will shape your trajectory more than the national number suggests.
How long does it take to work as Industrial Engineers?
Expect 4 years of undergraduate education followed by 2 or more years of field experience before most employers consider you qualified for career-level positions. A bachelor's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Industrial Engineering are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $102,440 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
What is the job outlook for Industrial Engineer?
Employment is projected to change by +12.4% through 2035, faster than average compared with other occupations. Around 23,100 roles open each year once you count people retiring and moving on, which matters more to someone starting out than the growth rate does. 366K people do this job nationwide today, so it is an established field rather than a niche one. Source: BLS May 2025.
What skills do Industrial Engineer professionals need?
Mainly Reading Comprehension, Writing, Speaking, Complex Problem Solving, and Reading Comprehension. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.
Related Findings
-
10 Six-Figure Careers That Do Not Need a Bachelor's Degree
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
- No bachelor degree
- High paying careers
- Associate degree
- Trades
- Median wage
-
Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
-
Growing and Paying $80K Plus: The Careers That Do Both
Only 106 of 393 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
- Career growth
- Median wage
- High-paying careers
- Job outlook
- Career change
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
Colleges
Discover 3,811 verified US colleges and universities. Compare admissions, costs, outcomes, and earnings across every accredited institution nationwide.
Majors
Explore 38 fields of study spanning STEM, health, business, and the humanities. See earnings, top programs, and demand.
Programs
Browse 375 specific degree programs. See completion counts, earnings outcomes, and the colleges awarding the most graduates each year.
Careers
Look up 395 BLS occupations. Get median wages, growth projections, education requirements, and the majors leading to each career.