Industrial Engineer salary

Q: How much does an industrial engineer make?

The median industrial engineer salary in the U.S. is about $101,140 per year. Most industrial engineers earn between $65,610 and $146,850, and top earners (90th percentile) make $146,850 or more. These national figures come from published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS) wage data.

Q: How much do entry-level industrial engineers make?

Entry-level industrial engineers (0–2 years) earn about $79,000 per year, rising to roughly $109,000 at mid-level and $136,500+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.

Q: Do industrial engineers make good money?

Yes. The median industrial engineer salary of $101,140 is 13% below the roughly $116,537 median across engineering occupations, and experienced industrial engineers can earn $146,850 or more.

Q: Which cities pay industrial engineers the most?

Estimated industrial engineer pay is highest in San Jose ($149,687), San Francisco ($143,619), Seattle ($131,482). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.

Verified

Updated January 2025

Industrial engineers design efficient systems that integrate workers, machines, materials, and information to make a product or service.

Median pay

$101,140

U.S. typical

Top earners

$146,850

90th percentile

Entry level

$79,000

0–2 yrs

Senior

$136,500

15+ yrs

The median industrial engineer salary in the U.S. is about $101,140 per year. Entry-level pay starts near $65,610, while top earners (90th percentile) make $146,850 or more. Add your city and experience for a sharper, local number.

Median annual wage

$101,140

Mean

$104,940

10th pct · $65,61090th pct · $146,850

What industrial engineers do

Analyze and optimize production and supply-chain processes, reduce waste, and improve quality and throughput.

Industrial engineers design efficient systems that integrate workers, machines, materials, and information to make a product or service.

What affects industrial engineer pay

▹Industry (tech and aerospace pay above traditional manufacturing)
▹Lean/Six Sigma certifications
▹Years of experience
▹Operations vs. quality vs. supply chain focus
▹Metro cost of labor

Industrial Engineer salary by experience

Pay typically climbs from about $79,000 for entry level engineers to $136,500+ at the principal / staff level.

Entry level 0–2 yrs

$79,000

Early career 3–5 yrs

$95,000

Mid level 6–9 yrs

$109,000

Senior 10–14 yrs

$123,500

Principal / Staff 15+ yrs

$136,500

Your actual offer depends on company, location, and specialization — run the calculator for a tailored range.

Highest-paying cities for industrial engineers

Estimated industrial engineer pay in the top-paying metros, vs the national median.

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Metro	State	Median	90th pct	vs U.S.	Data
San Jose California	CA	$149,687	$217,338	+48%	Estimate
San Francisco California	CA	$143,619	$208,527	+42%	Estimate
Seattle Washington	WA	$131,482	$190,905	+30%	Estimate
New York City New York	NY	$127,436	$185,031	+26%	Estimate
Boston Massachusetts	MA	$123,391	$179,157	+22%	Estimate
Washington, D.C. District of Columbia	DC	$121,368	$176,220	+20%	Estimate
Los Angeles California	CA	$119,345	$173,283	+18%	Estimate
San Diego California	CA	$116,311	$168,878	+15%	Estimate

Industrial Engineer salary by state

State	Est. median	Est. 90th pct
California	$125,414	$182,094
Texas	$105,186	$152,724
New York	$115,300	$167,409
Washington	$119,345	$173,283
Massachusetts	$117,322	$170,346

State figures are estimates — open a state for its full city-by-city breakdown.

Industrial Engineer salary — frequently asked questions

How much does an industrial engineer make?

The median industrial engineer salary in the U.S. is about $101,140 per year. Most industrial engineers earn between $65,610 and $146,850, and top earners (90th percentile) make $146,850 or more. These national figures come from published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS) wage data.

What is the highest industrial engineer salary?

Top-earning industrial engineers (90th percentile) make about $146,850 or more nationally. In the highest-paying metros, estimated pay can run even higher — for example around $149,687 in San Jose. Metro figures are cost-of-labor estimates, not direct BLS metro data.

How much do entry-level industrial engineers make?

Entry-level industrial engineers (0–2 years) earn about $79,000 per year, rising to roughly $109,000 at mid-level and $136,500+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.

Do industrial engineers make good money?

Yes. The median industrial engineer salary of $101,140 is 13% below the roughly $116,537 median across engineering occupations, and experienced industrial engineers can earn $146,850 or more.

Which cities pay industrial engineers the most?

Estimated industrial engineer pay is highest in San Jose ($149,687), San Francisco ($143,619), and Seattle ($131,482). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.

How can an industrial engineer earn more?

Industrial Engineer pay rises most with industry (tech and aerospace pay above traditional manufacturing), lean/six sigma certifications, and years of experience. Moving to a higher-cost metro, specializing, and taking on senior or lead scope are the biggest levers — the salary calculator lets you model each one.

Source details

National wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2112. Median and 90th-percentile annual wages.

Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →