Industrial Engineeringat Rutgers University-New Brunswick
Graduates earn $78,501/yr in their first year — about 6.0% above the national Industrial Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $788K; scenarios range from $690K to $809K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Rutgers
First-year earnings of $78,501 at Rutgers University-New Brunswick come in 6% above the national median of $73,874 for Industrial Engineering programs.
The 11.4x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 43% task exposure — and the 15% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
With first-year pay of $78,501 far exceeding the $26,855 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Ranked #45 out of 93 programs, Rutgers University-New Brunswick's Industrial Engineering offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
Earnings growth is modest: $78,501 to $93,012 over five years (18% gain). This field may have a lower salary ceiling than high-growth professions.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Rutgers's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Industrial Engineering
How Rutgers stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Rutgers
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Rutgers, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Industrial Engineering offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Industrial Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Industrial Engineering at Rutgers
How does Rutgers University-New Brunswick's Industrial Engineering program score?
This program scores 69/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Industrial Engineering graduates.
How vulnerable is Industrial Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Industrial Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 43% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.