Industrial Engineering at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

UIUC's industrial engineering program delivers strong outcomes that justify its status as Illinois' flagship engineering school. Graduates earn $78,313 in their first year—well above the national median of $74,709 and comfortably ahead of most competitors in the state. The $22,330 in median debt creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.29, meaning graduates typically pay less than four months of first-year income. While Northwestern's program edges ahead in earnings, UIUC achieves 87% of Northwestern's outcomes at a fraction of the cost and selectivity.

The 21% earnings growth to $95,066 by year four shows this isn't just a hot start—these graduates build sustainable careers. Within Illinois, UIUC ranks second only to Northwestern despite accepting a much broader range of students (44% admission rate versus Northwestern's single digits). For in-state students especially, this represents exceptional value: you're getting top-tier engineering education and outcomes at public university pricing.

The moderate sample size requires some caution, but the program's national 78th percentile ranking confirms these results aren't flukes. This is exactly the kind of program that anxious parents should embrace—strong enough to compete with elite privates, accessible enough that strong students have a real shot at admission, and affordable enough that the debt feels manageable from day one.