These three US universities lead the industrial engineering game

Picture the tunnel you drive through each day or the phone that never leaves your side. Behind the scenes, countless people work tirelessly, from constructing each brick in that tunnel to meticulously assembling every component of your phone. Yet, there’s another group that ensures their efforts run smoothly and efficiently: the industrial engineers. These professionals streamline processes and optimise systems, transforming complex tasks into seamless experiences. They’re the unsung heroes making daily conveniences possible.

Building a new robot to carry out work tasks that are hazardous to humans or shortening the wait time of lines in a theme park. Since the industrial engineering profession is so integral to any process, the job opportunities are growing. A projected 22,800 industrial engineer jobs open each year, with an estimated rise of 12% from 2022 to 2023. That’s faster than average. but to really advance, most employers look to people with a graduate degree, and those who’ve gained specific skills learned in graduate program.

To grow such candidates, these are three U.S. universities who lead in industrial engineering:

Oklahoma State is currently home to over 35,000 students. Source: Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University

When there is a will, there is a way. If you’re looking to pursue a graduate degree in industrial engineering, but you are unable to be an on-campus student, you can earn your degree fully on-line at Oklahoma State University.. Thanks to the Carnegie classified R1 research university offering  programs online and on campus, anyone can join its School of Industrial Engineering and Management, ranked #23 among US public universities.

A bigger pool of applicants means a more diverse cohort. The industrial engineering programs are open to those from related disciplines and there are over 100 countries represented in the school. The unique experiences and backgrounds of our program students converge to enliven every class. But as the student-faculty ratio is 20:1, you’re guaranteed the attention you need, whether on-campus or online.

If you want to design a system that streamlines the direct process of manufacturing to ensure that it’s as efficient as possible, then look to the Master of Science in Industrial Engineering and Management programme (MSIEM). If you’d rather enhance your management skills, such as strategic planning, entrepreneurship, systems engineering, and technical project planning, then check out the Master of Science in Engineering and Technology Management (MSETM) — it’s a more holistic view on operations with a business flare.

Both programmes mix coursework including hands-on research or experience. The MSIEM allows for an independent study, internship, or practicum to account for research hours. That is one of the two plans to choose from, which also excludes a thesis. The other plan comprises 24 hours of coursework, six hours of research and a thesis. Both programs have faculty who have extensive published research and are industry leaders. Professors have a wide range of expertise, with technology-driven research and computing work, alongside the more traditional research in operations. They’ve mentored their students to excel in research that wins awards and grants.

And both have strong online programmes. The overall university’s online engineering graduate degrees are listed in the top 10 online learning programmes by onlinemastersdegrees.org.

Online students use Canvas to watch lectures, complete their assignments, and talk to their mentors and peers.

If you’re ready to be a part of America’s brightest orange, apply to Oklahoma State University today.

Oregon State University is located in Corvallis, Oregon, which ranks #2 in BestColleges’ 10 Best College Towns list for its rural, nature-filled landscape. Source: Oregon State University/Facebook

Oregon State University

Oregon State University is an R1 research institution as deemed by the Carnegie Classification. They rank no. 75 for the best graduate engineering schools in America. Its online programme stands as one of the nation’s best. The Ecampus Bachelor’s programme has been ranked in the top 10 for 10 years straight by the U.S. News & World Report.

But enough about rankings. Oregon State’s main campus is located in Corvallis, a college town away from the busier Portland city, rich with natural landscapes. The campus houses students from more than 70 countries. In fact, 20% of their graduate students aren’t from the US, so there’s a chance to connect with people from different corners of the world and forge new experiences.

Plus, at Oregon State, you have several options to choose from for your industrial engineering programme. There’s the Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering programme, for a total focus on practical application in a coursework-only approach. Then, there’s the option to take it as a graduate minor. For those keen on conducting more research, the PhD programme or a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering would fit best. Graduates get to choose from five areas of study: Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering Management, Human Systems Engineering, Information Systems Engineering, Manufacturing Systems Engineering.

And as if that wasn’t flexible enough, there’s Ecampus too. Its Master of Engineering programme is designed for professionals who’ve already built a STEM background, mixing business, financial, and management subjects to give you an edge in a competitive feel. So, if you have commitments that won’t allow you to move to Oregon for on-campus classes, you’ll still get the same diploma.

The master’s degree concentrations are updated to reflect recent directional advances in the field. Source: New York University

New York University

Ranked among the top 40 best engineering schools in the US, the New York University (NYU) Tandon School of Engineering offers an on-campus Master of Sciences (MSc) in Industrial Engineering that prepares you for leadership roles. Classes combine a mix of theories and real-world applications — all of which are taught by professors with significant industry experience. 

The MSc comprises 12 courses with three areas of concentrations that are updated to reflect recent advances in the field. They include Business Transformation and Continuous Improvement, Operations and Supply Chain Management, and Operations Research and Systems Analytics. Depending on which specialisation you choose, you will gain knowledge and skills in either consulting, management, and data science, or operations analysis.

Located at the heart of Brooklyn Tech Triangle, which is a tech hub connecting Dumbo, Downtown Brooklyn, and Navy Yard, the school is a great location to surround yourself with industry experts. Since it is close to Manhattan, you are close to many companies across diverse sectors — and especially in industrial engineering. This strategic location also creates opportunities for internships and job placements.

But if moving to New York City isn’t in the cards for you, and you still want to experience NYU’s world-class teachings, consider The Tandon School of Engineering’s online graduate programmes in science, technology, engineering, and design. They offer five programmes: Bioinformatics, Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity Risk and Strategy, Emerging Technologies, and Management of Technology.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International