Pitt HomeEngineering HomeContact Us
Industrial Engineering: University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering

About IE Examples of what an IE might do:

  • Develop and implement a computer-based information system
  • Develop a bar-code tracking system for medical devices
  • Develop an optimal production schedule for a manufacturing facility
  • Decide on the best way to manage the distribution of a company's products
  • Streamline a hospital's emergency room
  • Improve quality and efficiency in an automobile production line
  • Develop an optimal plan for refining crude oil into various petroleum products
  • Find the best way to lay out machines and equipment on a shopfloor
  • Schedule flights and crews

IE's are everywhere and make good money! Information and computers are critical components of IE and the advances in these areas have caused the application of Industrial Engineering to expand beyond factories and manufacturing to hospitals, transportation, consulting companies, food processing companies, computer/computer software companies, nonprofit organizations, media operations, banks, utilities, and government.

Starting salaries for Industrial Engineers that range from $47,000 to $62,000 per year are quite common. Interestingly, a Fortune magazine survey found the top salaries made by IE's to be on average, much higher than the top salaries for other engineering disciplines - this is because many IE's move on to become high-paid upper-level managers later on in their careers. As you can see, the opportunities for an Industrial Engineer are diverse and endless!

Engineers make things...

Industrial engineers make things better!

You are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Although this site is viewable in all browsers, it will look much better in a browser that supports Web standards.