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CIP 14.3501 Engineering

Industrial Engineering

IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education · 2025

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Total graduates

7,745

2025 · 133 schools

International share

34.2%

2,647 international students

Bachelor's degrees

4,714

11.7% international

Master's degrees

2,610

70.7% international

Overview

Industrial Engineering is a branch of engineering that focuses on optimizing complex processes, systems, or organizations by improving efficiency, productivity, and quality. It combines principles from engineering, mathematics, and business to design, analyze, and manage integrated systems of people, materials, information, equipment, and energy.

Students pursuing a degree in Industrial Engineering typically study topics such as operations research, systems engineering, logistics, quality control, and human factors. The goal is to streamline production and service processes, reduce waste, and enhance overall performance. Industrial engineers work in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and consulting, making their skills highly versatile and in demand.

One of the key aspects of Industrial Engineering is the use of data analysis and statistical methods to identify inefficiencies and develop strategies for improvement. This may involve the implementation of lean manufacturing principles, Six Sigma methodologies, or operations management techniques to ensure that organizations can deliver products and services more effectively.

Moreover, Industrial Engineering also emphasizes the importance of ergonomics and workplace safety, ensuring that systems are designed with the well-being of workers in mind. As technology continues to evolve, industrial engineers are increasingly leveraging advancements such as automation, artificial intelligence, and data analytics to further enhance operational effectiveness.

Overall, Industrial Engineering is a dynamic field that plays a crucial role in shaping efficient and sustainable practices across various sectors, making it an attractive option for students interested in problem-solving and innovation.

Graduates by year

Graduates by degree level (first and second majors)

AssociateBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral

From 2003 to 2025, graduates grew 260% and the international share went from 35.4% to 34.2%.

International share (%)
Graduates by group, 2025
White
36.7%
Asian
9.1%
Hispanic
11.5%
Black
3.7%
Other
4.9%
Intl.
34.2%

Colleges that award this degree

In 2025, 133 schools awarded this degree as a first major. The table lists those in the 2027 U.S. News National or Liberal Arts rankings, plus the unranked schools with the most graduates.

RankSchoolStateGraduatesInternational
#9 Northwestern University Illinois 94 44
#12 Columbia University in the City of New York New York 109 96
#16 Brown University Rhode Island 23 10
#25 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Michigan 263 77
#27 University of Southern California California 85 33
#29 Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Georgia 461 110
#31 New York University New York 38 36
#34 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Illinois 95 51
#34 The University of Texas at Austin Texas 25 23
#34 University of Wisconsin-Madison Wisconsin 147 56
#42 Northeastern University Massachusetts 185 128
#44 Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Jersey 60 16
#44 Ohio State University-Main Campus Ohio 157 19
#44 Lehigh University Pennsylvania 64 12
#49 University of Washington-Seattle Campus Washington 79 21
#52 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Virginia 250 56
#55 University of Miami Florida 40 15
#55 The Pennsylvania State University Pennsylvania 203 81
#55 Purdue University-Main Campus Indiana 376 145
#59 Florida State University Florida 68 39
#59 University of Massachusetts-Amherst Massachusetts 28 7
#59 University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minnesota 84 16
#59 University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pennsylvania 84 34
#59 Texas A & M University-College Station Texas 450 177
#69 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute New York 30 3
#73 University of Connecticut Connecticut 29 2
#73 Worcester Polytechnic Institute Massachusetts 24 4
#73 Binghamton University New York 143 59
#73 North Carolina State University at Raleigh North Carolina 136 35
#80 Clemson University South Carolina 231 66
#85 New Jersey Institute of Technology New Jersey 49 21
#85 University at Buffalo New York 171 138
#90 Gonzaga University Washington 10 0
#95 University of Illinois at Chicago Illinois 61 38
#95 University of Missouri-Columbia Missouri 38 9
#95 Rochester Institute of Technology New York 41 12
#100 Auburn University Alabama 147 20
#100 University of San Diego California 23 10
#100 University of South Florida-Main Campus Florida 113 65
#100 University of Iowa Iowa 34 3
#109 Fairfield University Connecticut 5 2
#109 Temple University Pennsylvania 6 0
#109 The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Tennessee 129 9
#116 Iowa State University Iowa 83 15
#116 University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Oklahoma 69 14
#121 Arizona State University-Tempe Arizona 157 110
#121 University of Arizona Arizona 29 13
#121 University of Central Florida Florida 115 16
#133 University of Vermont Vermont 11 1
#137 San Jose State University California 50 16
#137 University of Houston Texas 114 85
#148 University of Massachusetts-Lowell Massachusetts 14 4
#148 University of Rhode Island Rhode Island 19 0
#156 Quinnipiac University Connecticut 13 1
#156 Florida A&M University Florida 9 0
#156 Kansas State University Kansas 46 3
#156 Oregon State University Oregon 39 13
#169 Bradley University Illinois 16 10
#179 University of Louisville Kentucky 59 16
#179 University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Ohio 1 1
#186 Wayne State University Michigan 46 20
#186 Texas Tech University Texas 72 30
#191 University of Arkansas Arkansas 48 7
#191 Hofstra University New York 3 0
#191 Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Oklahoma 46 12
#202 Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Louisiana 100 9
#202 Ohio University-Main Campus Ohio 9 1
#208 Mississippi State University Mississippi 123 9
#219 North Carolina A&T State University North Carolina 43 7
#219 Gannon University Pennsylvania 5 3
#227 University of Michigan-Dearborn Michigan 36 23
#227 West Virginia University West Virginia 61 9
#236 North Dakota State University-Main Campus North Dakota 32 0
#236 Kent State University at Kent Ohio 6 0
#236 Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 3 0
#236 University of Texas-Arlington Texas 82 45
#250 New Mexico State University-Main Campus New Mexico 32 3
#262 University of Alabama--Huntsville Alabama 48 1
#262 Western New England University Massachusetts 15 10
#262 University of Texas--El Paso Texas 40 18
#276 University of New Haven Connecticut 29 28
#276 Western Michigan University Michigan 32 16
#288 University of Indianapolis Indiana 4 1
#288 Wichita State University Kansas 82 54
#288 Texas State University Texas 24 2
#288 University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee Wisconsin 9 1
#299 University of Toledo Ohio 5 5
#308 Northern Illinois University Illinois 42 22
#308 Oakland University Michigan 24 5
#308 Montana State University Montana 19 3
#317 Morgan State University Maryland 9 1
#332 Texas A&M University--Kingsville Texas 20 11
#353 Southern Illinois University--Edwardsville Illinois 58 55
#353 Youngstown State University Ohio 6 2
#365 Liberty University Virginia 13 0
#382 University of Southern Maine Maine 1 0
#382 Wright State University-Main Campus Ohio 43 36
#382 Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi Texas 1 0
#382 East Texas A&M University Texas 13 0
#382 Lamar University Texas 26 0
— University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez Puerto Rico 99 0
— California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo California 81 2
— Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico Puerto Rico 60 0
— University of Southern Indiana Indiana 53 1
— California State Polytechnic University-Pomona California 51 1
— University of Central Missouri Missouri 43 39
— Indiana Institute of Technology-College of Professional Studies Indiana 27 1
— South Dakota School of Mines and Technology South Dakota 24 3
— Kettering University Michigan 20 0
— SUNY Maritime College New York 19 0
— University of Minnesota-Duluth Minnesota 17 1
— Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon Puerto Rico 17 0
— Lawrence Technological University Michigan 15 10
— California State University--East Bay California 14 1
— Milwaukee School of Engineering Wisconsin 14 1
— University of Wisconsin-Platteville Wisconsin 14 0
— Louisiana Tech University Louisiana 12 0
— Methodist University North Carolina 12 3
— Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College Pennsylvania 11 3
— Fort Hays State University Kansas 10 0
— Pennsylvania State University-World Campus Pennsylvania 10 1
— St. Ambrose University Iowa 9 2
— Colorado Christian University Colorado 8 0
— St. Mary's University Texas 8 6
— Arizona State University Digital Immersion Arizona 8 0
— Indiana Institute of Technology Indiana 7 1
— El Paso Community College Texas 6 2
— Colorado State University Pueblo Colorado 5 1
— McLennan Community College Texas 5 0
— Caribbean University-Ponce Puerto Rico 5 0

Purple: international students are 25% or more of the school's graduates.

Related jobs and pay

OccupationUS employmentMean hourly wageMean annual wage
Industrial Engineers 365,740 $52.84 $109,900
Industrial Production Managers 246,250 $64.50 $134,170
Architectural and Engineering Managers 220,260 $87.28 $181,540
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary 40,270 — $124,520

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

Graduate counts: IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education, 2003–2025. Rankings: 2027 U.S. News.