Industrial Engineering at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

UW-Milwaukee's Industrial Engineering program lands graduates in solid middle-class territory with nearly $69,000 in first-year earnings, but it underperforms both the national benchmark ($75,000) and Wisconsin's median ($74,000) by about $5-6,000. Within Wisconsin's four Industrial Engineering programs, it ranks third out of four, trailing UW-Madison by roughly $12,000 and UW-Platteville by about $8,000. The debt load of $22,500 is reasonable at just a third of first-year earnings, actually running lower than both state and national medians.

The small sample size here—fewer than 30 graduates—makes these numbers particularly uncertain. That said, the pattern is consistent: earnings start below average and grow modestly (just 5% over four years), suggesting graduates may face slower career progression than peers from higher-ranked programs. The 88% admission rate and below-average SAT scores indicate this is an accessible option, but you're trading selectivity for somewhat lower earning potential.

For a Wisconsin family, this becomes a value question. If your child can gain admission to UW-Madison or Platteville, those programs deliver measurably better outcomes. But if UW-Milwaukee offers the best combination of accessibility, location, and in-state tuition, the debt-to-earnings ratio remains manageable enough to justify enrollment—just expect earnings closer to the middle of the pack rather than the top.