### SUMMARY

 Majoring in Industrial Engineering is a valuable choice and frequently a required first step for students intending to enter a career as a senior industrial engineer, a supply chain engineer, or a process improvement engineer. In fact, industrial engineering is fairly popular being the 77th most popular degree. In the last year, there were 5,817 industrial engineering graduates. In-state tuition for industrial engineering at private colleges is, on average, 3.8 times more costly than their public peers.

 With only 125 schools offering industrial engineering there might be a smaller selection of institutions that will have an option for you. If you're looking to immerse yourself with other industrial engineering undergraduates, consider looking at schools in Texas which have more undergraduates admitted to industrial engineering than any other state. less precisely, the best region to get a degree in industrial engineering is in the Southeast region with [Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus](/colleges/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus), [Clemson University](/colleges/clemson-university), and [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University](/colleges/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university) best representing the region. Interestingly, our pick of the best conference to major in industrial engineering is the Big Ten Conference with [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](/colleges/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor), [Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus](/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-main-campus), and [Purdue University-Main Campus](/colleges/purdue-university-main-campus) representing the conference. On that topic, our selection for the best college for industrial engineering is [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york). You may also want to check out our list of the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges).

 The overall best school does not mean it is the 'best' school for you. There are a bunch of facets to think about when deciding on ​university. External stuff such as campus amenities, transportation services, and food could definitely impact your thoughts on which school to attend. Here at Authority, we've weighed the pros and cons for you. If, for example, you want to know which industrial engineering school boasts the top campus, the answer is [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university). If, for example, you are mostly interested in which school has the top campus, we have a whole list [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through professor reviews, student reviews, government databases, and more in order to compare each major in an unbiased and informative way. You can find our comprehensive list for the universities with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbsphere and our pick of the university with the best student life for industrial engineering is [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](/colleges/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor). Are you curious why? Continue reading to discover more about Authority's top recommendations. Some of our picks might shock you.

 If cost is a primary influence in your decisions, you might be cautious about [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york). [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york)&nbspis our most expensive school for industrial engineering, at least for out of state enrollment. We have an entire list of the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspcolleges that might put the expense at [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york)&nbspinto perspective. For more context, you may want to know that industrial engineering is the 202nd most expensive program in the US, with an average expense of $29,700. To zoom out a little, the most expensive state for industrial engineering on our list is Massachusetts with costs at the primary three colleges Northeastern University, Western New England University, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute of $52,420, $35,454, and $35,454 respectively. Even more broadly, the most costly region for industrial engineering is the New England region which is best demonstrated with [University of New Haven](/colleges/university-of-new-haven) with a cost of $39,000, [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university) with a cost of $52,420, and [Worcester Polytechnic Institute](/colleges/worcester-polytechnic-institute) with a cost of $51,604.

 Our cheapest region for industrial engineering is the Rocky Mountains region which is represented by [Colorado State University-Pueblo](/colleges/colorado-state-university-pueblo) with a cost of $19,658 and [Montana State University](/colleges/montana-state-university) with a cost of $23,890. On the bright side, the most affordable university for industrial engineering is [South Dakota School of Mines and Technology](/colleges/south-dakota-school-of-mines-and-technology). Authority.org's entire list of the most affordable colleges can be explored [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state learners can anticipate paying in the neighborhood of $11,000 for a degree in industrial engineering. That cost grows substantially to a median of $25,500 for an out-of-state public-school student. Our choice for the college constituting the best value for industrial engineering: [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york). Here you will find our comprehensive list about the universities we see as being the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspin general. With that said, this list is predicated on being an out-of-state student. The value proposition changes when it comes to in-state tuition, as such, we are using out-of-state tuition as the baseline.

 Earnings for industrial engineering majors range widely, but two-years after graduation students will often make in the neighborhood of $63,900. While there can be a lot of variation in pay; top positions can make up to $100,800. Right out of university, the lowest earning opportunities within the industrial engineering field earn $40,200, which is an alright wage. The highest earning grads for industrial engineering graduated from [Lehigh University](/colleges/lehigh-university)&nbspand if you are looking for schools with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), Authority has that too.

 The all-around diversity of industrial engineering is decent, ranking within the 75th percentile of all programs. The university with the most composite diversity for industrial engineering is [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university)&nbspand here you can find our comprehensive list of the universities which have the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The overall financial diversity of the Industrial Engineering major is only in the 79th percentile of all majors. Racial diversity is even lower in the 78th percentile. White collegians make up the largest share, 41%, of students studying industrial engineering. Additionally, 71% of undergraduates seeking an industrial engineering major are men.

 The median score of industrial engineering professors is 3.6 stars, a rating that is 10% less than the median for all majors; which is a subpar ranking. If you are looking for the most popular industrial engineering professor in the country, take a look at Jack Byrd from [West Virginia University](/colleges/west-virginia-university). It may come as a shock, but the top rated industrial engineering instructors from student rankings come from [Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus](/colleges/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus). As we consider data beyond simply rankings we find that the school with comprehensively the best professors for industrial engineering is [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york). You will find more detail on our ever evolving ranking methodology of the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), along with some of the best instructors in the country.

 Finally, the hardest school to get into for industrial engineering is [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york). While we think of this list more as a novelty, we do have a comprehensive list for the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). That being said, here at Authority we hope you believe that looking at university with a perspective primarily shaped by superlatives could cause problems. We at Authority encourage you to explore our other pages on individual universities and explore a couple of our helpful background pages on important things to consider as your university search develops.



 ### POPULARITY

 Industrial engineering is the 77th most popular degree in America, with 5,817 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #78 [Interdisciplinary Studies](/rankings/best-colleges-for-interdisciplinary-studies), and narrowly lost to #76 [Managerial Economics](/rankings/best-colleges-for-managerial-economics).

 The degree is offered at a total of 125 colleges across the nation, and is the 133rd most widely offered degree. It is only offered at 11% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America.

 It is also worth noting that approximately three quarters of colleges offering industrial engineering are public making it a quite accessible field.

 The southeast produces the most industrial engineering graduates, largely led by [Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus](/colleges/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus), while it’s the Big Ten Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, Texas ranks highest, with particular help from [Texas A & M University-College Station](/colleges/texas-a-m-university-college-station) and [The University of Texas at El Paso](/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-el-paso).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more industrial engineering graduates than [Fairfield University](/colleges/fairfield-university), which graduated 356 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study industrial engineering). More students studied industrial engineering as a percentage of total students at [Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico](/colleges/universidad-politecnica-de-puerto-rico) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Industrial engineering is the 202nd most expensive major in the US, with a median cost of $29,741 amongst the top 50 programs (just ahead of #203, [Humanities](rankings/best-colleges-for-humanities), with a median cost of $29,694).

 New England has the most expensive colleges with great industrial engineering programs led by [University of New Haven](/colleges/university-of-new-haven) with an annual cost of $39,000. The most expensive state for industrial engineering is Massachusetts led by [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university) and [Western New England University](/colleges/western-new-england-university).

 Public schools with solid programs generally charge 73.59% less than private schools for in-state students. However, when looking at out-of-state tuition, the median top 50 Public school charges 38.8% less than your average private school. So, if you're applying to a state school, make sure you're eligible for in-state tuition as soon as possible.

 The most expensive top 25 college for industrial engineering is [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york), which is the 3rd most expensive college in the United States. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon](/colleges/inter-american-university-of-puerto-rico-bayamon). It costs just $4,560 per year but is ranked 83rd for its industrial engineering program. If you’re looking for a higher ranked, but still affordable option, [South Dakota School of Mines and Technology](/colleges/south-dakota-school-of-mines-and-technology)  might be right for you, ranked #23 with an in-state cost of just $7,610. Another more affordable choice would be #24, [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](/colleges/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo) in San Luis Obispo County, CA with a cost of $5,742 for in-state students and $17,622 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 College is a huge investment for most students. It's critical to be confident you are able to justify your investment. We wish for the following earnings and career insights to aid you in deciding your major at college.

 Right out of university, Industrial Engineering students take home $71,254 per annum on average, which is the 16th highest of any subject. Later on in their occupations, they can make up to $100,788 per annum to as little as $40,175, but average close to $63,932. Just so you know, that is 65% greater than the US' average.

 The most popular work title for an Industrial Engineering graduate is Engineer, which often earn near $59,000; next are Software Engineer and Analyst, which ordinarily make around $65,000 and $54,000 respectively.

 New England has the best paid Industrial Engineering graduates. The highest grossing state for Industrial Engineering graduates is CT. The highest grossing conference for Industrial Engineering graduates is Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Industrial Engineering: Median Professor Rating: 3.6 / 5, which is below average.

 Professors always play an important role in your college experience, no matter what you major in. A great instructor can help a student find their passion and set a student up for future success. Alternatively, a bad professor can drive unnecessary frustration or even worse... fail you!

 Professors of Industrial Engineering, concerningly, only have a median student rating of 3.6 out of 5, putting these professors in the lower 8 percent in America grounded in student satisfaction. For context that's 10% lower than the national median professor rating for all subjects. Professors of Industrial Engineering barely surpassed those from ["Biochemistry"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-biochemistry), whereas ["Genetics"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-genetics)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Industrial Engineering.

 Now for some statistics about Industrial Engineering professors. Colleges located in small suburbs tend to have the best Industrial Engineering professors. The Gulf South Conference has the highest rated Industrial Engineering professors. The Rocky Mountains region has the highest rated Industrial Engineering professors. Public universities tend to have higher rated Industrial Engineering professors than private institutions. Finally, South Carolina has the highest rated Industrial Engineering professors in the US.

 Jack Byrd, professor at [West Virginia University](/colleges/west-virginia-university)&nbspin Morgantown, WV is the most popular Industrial Engineering professor in the US. Kayse Maass, professor at [Northeastern University](/colleges/northeastern-university)&nbspin Boston, MA is the highest rated Industrial Engineering professor in the United States, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 Find out which schools have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College is an awfully productive investment in one's life; it's a time for individual growth and expansion. Students attempt to figure out their purpose and cultivate the indispensable skills to become a halcyon adult. But learning also happens outside a classroom environment - the interactions which one has with her schoolmates, the personal lesson learned from a tenured instructor, the exposure to a different frame of mind. Therefore, attending a diverse college vastly improves what one gains from the time spent in university.

 Industrial Engineering is a more popular subject among students of color than white students. 41% of the nation's Industrial Engineering majors are white students, followed by students of other races\*\*(40%), latino students (9%), and asian students (6%). The most racially diverse college\* in the top 100 is [Texas Tech University](/colleges/texas-tech-university)&nbspin Lubbock, TX.

 In addition, Industrial Engineering significatly skews male, with 71% of students majoring in Industrial Engineering identifying as men. The most gender balanced school in the top 100 is [University of San Diego](/colleges/university-of-san-diego) in San Diego, CA.

 Another critical type of diversity is class diversity. Industrial Engineering ranks in the top 21% of majors for economic diversity. 27% of its majors come from households with $110,000 plus annual incomes, 16% are from families who bring in between $48,000 and $75,000 a year, and 25% grew up in households that make below $30,000 a year. [Oakland University](/colleges/oakland-university) is the most financially diverse college in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall CA is the most diverse state for Industrial Engineering. The Far West is the most diverse region, and the Peach Belt Conference is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 6%
* Black: 4%
* Latino: 9%
* White: 41%
* Other: 40%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 71%
* Female: 29%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 25%
* 30k - 48k: 15%
* 48k - 75k: 16%
* 75k - 110k: 16%
* Over 110k: 27%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 72%
* Out of State: 24%
* International: 4%


Northwestern University

Johns Hopkins University

Columbia University in the City of New York

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus

University of Southern California

Northeastern University

University of Miami

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Lehigh University

Florida State University

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Texas A & M University-College Station

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Purdue University-Main Campus

Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Rutgers University-New Brunswick

University of South Florida

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Clemson University

Search for the best Industrial Engineering colleges according to your filter parameters.

2023 Industrial Engineering Popularity

There are about 18,013 students enrolled in Industrial Engineering in the USA.

POPULARITY