Industrial Engineering at Ohio University-Southern Campus

Ohio University-Southern's industrial engineering program sits squarely in the middle of Ohio's offerings—matching the state median at $70,199 first-year earnings—but trails the national median by about $4,500. That said, graduates carry $27,000 in debt (slightly above the national median) and see steady 6% earnings growth to $74,580 by year four. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.38 is manageable, meaning graduates earn back their debt in roughly five months of work. However, the small sample size here matters: with fewer than 30 graduates tracked, these figures could shift considerably with a different cohort.

The more important context is location. Ohio State's main campus produces industrial engineers earning $80,000+ right out of the gate, nearly $11,000 more than this program. But if in-state tuition and staying close to the Appalachian region are priorities, this program offers decent fundamentals—solid earnings that grow over time and controllable debt. The low Pell grant percentage (12%) suggests limited socioeconomic diversity, which may or may not matter depending on your family's situation.

For a family weighing this against other Ohio engineering programs, it's a functional choice with reasonable returns, but not a standout. If your student can access Ohio State or similar flagship programs without significantly more debt, that gap in starting salary compounds quickly over a career.