Program Analysis
Starting salaries of $56,274/yr fall 24% below the $73,874 national median for Industrial Engineering. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.
The 13.6x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 43% task exposure — and the 13% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
At $26,500 in median debt against $56,274 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
At #57 out of 93 programs, Kent State University at Kent's financial outcomes for Industrial Engineering trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $56,274 to $76,477 shows 36% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.