Industrial Engineeringat University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Graduates earn $70,554/yr in their first year — about 4.0% below the national Industrial Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $694K; scenarios range from $619K to $708K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Massachusetts-Amherst
First-year earnings of $70,554 track close to the $73,874 national median for Industrial Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
The earnings-to-cost ratio of 10.0x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.
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.
At $26,111 in median debt against $70,554 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
Ranked #91 of 93 Industrial Engineering programs, University of Massachusetts-Amherst falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
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 University of Massachusetts-Amherst'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 University of Massachusetts-Amherst stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 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 University of Massachusetts-Amherst
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Industrial Engineering at University of Massachusetts-Amherst?
This program scores 54/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Industrial Engineering programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.
Will AI replace Industrial Engineering careers?
With 43% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $619,462 in decade earnings vs $707,687 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.