Program Analysis
At $70,216/yr, Industrial Engineering graduates from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology land near the $73,874 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 16.5x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Industrial Engineering programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Industrial Engineering's typical career paths, with 43% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 12% gap from the optimistic case.
The median debt load of $25,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
Ranked #47 of 93 Industrial Engineering programs, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Five-year earnings of $78,152 are relatively flat compared to the $70,216 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.