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Industrial Engineering, BS

As an industrial engineering major, you’ll work at the intersection of engineering, people, and business. As with other engineering disciplines, you’ll apply your science and mathematics skills to solving difficult problems. Our course curriculum is set to provide a diverse background to students, providing you with the opportunity to pursue whatever your area of interest might be.

Design your academic journey

The major

Your primary field of study, which defines your core technical curriculum and the degree you earn.
All program details

Sample Degree/Major Plan

Fall semester (16 credits)
  • MATH 221 – Calculus And Analytic Geometry 1 5
  • ECON 101 – Principles Of Microeconomics 4
  • COMP SCI 220 – Data Science Programming I 4
  • Communications A 3
Spring semester (14 credits)
  • I SY E 191 – The Practice Of Industrial Engineering 2
  • MATH 222 – Calculus And Analytic Geometry 2 4
  • PHYSICS 201 – General Physics 5
  • Liberal Studies Elective 3
Fall semester (15-16 credits)
  • I SY E 313 – Engineering Economic Analysis 3
  • MATH 234 – Calculus–functions Of Several Variables 4
  • Liberal Studies Elective 2
  • Computer Sciences Elective 3-4
  • Math and Basic Science Elective 3
Spring semester (13 credits)
  • I SY E 315 – Production Planning And Control 3
  • I SY E 348 – Introduction To Human Factors Engineering Laboratory 1
  • I SY E/​PSYCH 349 – Introduction To Human Factors 3
  • MATH 340 – Elementary Matrix And Linear Algebra 3
  • Math and Basic Science Elective 3
Fall semester (15 credits)
  • I SY E 312 – Data Management And Analysis For Industrial Engineers 3
  • I SY E 323 – Operations Research-deterministic Modeling 3
  • Professional Elective 3
  • STAT 311 – Introduction To Theory And Methods Of Mathematical Statistics I 3
  • Liberal Studies Elective 3
Spring semester (14 credits)
  • I SY E 320 – Simulation And Probabilistic Modeling 3
  • I SY E 321 – Simulation Modeling Laboratory 1
  • I SY E 350 – Industrial Engineering Design I 3
  • INTEREGR 397 – Engineering Communication 3
  • I SY E Focus Area Elective 3
  • Free Elective 1
Fall semester (15 credits)
  • I SY E Focus Area Elective 3
  • I SY E Focus Area Elective 3
  • Professional Elective 3
  • Free Elective 3
  • Math and Basic Science Elective 3
Spring semester (15 credits)
  • I SY E 450 – Industrial Engineering Design II 3
  • I SY E Focus Area Elective 3
  • I SY E Focus Area Elective 3
  • I SY E Focus Area Elective 3
  • Liberal Studies Elective 3

Focus area

A flexible way to build your technical mastery and customize your education without adding a formal credential to your transcript.

Industrial data analytics

Courses in industrial data analytics will equip students with tools to collect, analyze and interpret data, and then apply those learnings to decision-making, with applications in any field. Courses in this area encompass the development and impact of AI, and the examination of ethics in this growing area.

Applications of industrial engineering

This focus area emphasizes the application of industrial engineering principles to real world problems across a variety of sectors. Students integrate technical, analytical, and contextual considerations to design and improve systems in areas such as health care, manufacturing, public safety, and data intensive environments.

Human factors and ergonomics

Human factors and ergonomics focus on the interaction between a human and the other elements of a system. Courses in this focus area will study the design of tasks, jobs, products, environments and systems and their compatibility with the needs, abilities, and limitations of people.

Optimization and operations research

Courses in this focus area will expose and train students on decision-making tools which use analytical methods such as optimization, machine learning, and queueing theory. These tools can be implemented to identify improvement opportunities in any field.

An accelerated engineering master’s program is a great choice if you’d like to earn your master’s degree by adding as little as a single year of study at UW-Madison.
View all accelerated programs

Investing in your future

Value and costs

Based on an average of 12-18 credits per semester for the 2025-26 academic year from bursars office tuition rates workbook.
Tuition is one part of the overall cost of attendance at UW-Madison.  For more information on the cost of attendance, visit the Office of Student Financial Aid.
Wisconsin icon

Wisconsin resident

$7,683

Minnesota icon

Minnesota reciprocity

$10,346

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Non-resident

$23,695

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Non-resident international

$24,195

Scholarships

Our scholarships aren’t just about financial support; they’re about investing in your potential and helping you focus on what matters most: your education and your future as a leader in engineering.
Engineering scholarships
4.4M
scholarships awarded
1,200
undergrad recipients
1,550
scholarships awarded, made possible by the generous support of donors

Outcomes

Here’s what life after graduation could look like for you.
$77,750
FIRST-YEAR MEDIAN SALARY

Key employers

  • EY
  • GE Healthcare
  • PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
  • Rockwell Automation
  • Tesla

Common job titles

  • Core Technologies Product Engineer
  • Manufacturing Engineer
  • Operations Development Associate
  • Quality Engineer
  • Supply Chain Analyst

Your path to admission

Freshman

Starting college for the first time?

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Transfer student

Coming from another college or university?

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Cross-campus student

Already at UW–Madison?

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Reentry student

Took time off?

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Your built-in network

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As an undergrad, you can help pioneer new knowledge or technologies on your own or as a researcher in a professor’s lab. It’s a great opportunity to apply what you’re learning in class, explore a field or topic that interests you, and gain insight into what it’s like to be a graduate student.

Undergraduate research
undergraduate showing research technique in structures lab.

Explore, get involved, try new things and soak up everything our campus and the surrounding environs have to offer.

Student life

The College of Engineering offers services specifically for engineering students, in addition to the services offered campus-wide.

Student services
Four students pose and smile with Dr. Ebony McGee in the IEDE Student Center
undergraduate showing research technique in structures lab.
Our eight renowned academic departments form the heart and personality of our college.
Industrial u0026amp; Systems Engineering

Life as a Badger engineer

See what it’s actually like to live, learn and grow here through the stories of the people who know us best.
“I am just embarking on my career journey, but I was heavily influenced by the classes and content that piqued my interest throughout my undergrad. I am grateful that the ISyE program provides several quality learning path options. Even though I have graduated, I still feel supported and can continue to leverage the connections I made and content I learned as I move forward.”
Lily Jansa BSIE ’22, Software Consultant, Baker TIlly
Lily Jansa

Why should you choose UW-Madison for engineering? Find out what it’s like to major in industrial and systems engineering.

Carla Michini

Michini honored for optimized education

On April 29, 2026, Grainger Dean Devesh Ranjan hosted a celebration at which he recognized engineering faculty and staff for…

Read the Full Story
5
undergraduate ranking among public universities in industrial engineering
A group of college students surround three seated adult professionals with a graphic behind them

Pitching the Future: ISyE seniors face the “Sharks” in inaugural capstone event

A large group of college students posing together on a low indoor stage

IISE chapter honors emerging leaders

Phillip A. Levy Engineering Center rendering

Morgridges’ latest gift drives UW-Madison engineering building forward

ABET accreditation

The B.S. in Industrial Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Industrial and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

Program Educational Objectives for the Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering

We recognize that our graduates will choose to use the knowledge and skills that they have acquired during their undergraduate years to pursue a wide variety of career and life goals, and we encourage this diversity of paths. Whatever path our graduates may choose, we expect them to be meeting the following objectives at least three to five years after graduation: 

  1. Demonstrate competence in the professional practice of industrial engineering. 
  2. Demonstrate industrial engineering skills needed as a foundation for leadership in a career and the profession. 
  3. Act with professional and ethical responsibility, fostering an inclusive work environment, and appreciate the impact of proposed solutions to a global and/or societal context. 

 

Learning Outcomes

  1. Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
  2. Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
  3. Communicate effectively with a range of audiences
  4. Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
  5. Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
  6. Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
  7. Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies
  8. Recognize, describe, predict and analyze systems behavior
  9. Understand physiological, cognitive, and sociotechnical aspects of humans as components in complex systems design
  10. Apply the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice, such as quality engineering, optimization, simulation, and project management

Degrees:

  • Conferred, 2024-2025
    Bachelor of Science, Industrial Engineering: 87
  • Enrolled, Fall 2025
    Bachelor of Science, Industrial Engineering: 351

Still exploring?

We have 13 engineering undergrad majors—so you can find the field that’s the best fit for you (even if you decide to switch later).

Compare majors

Select up to three majors to compare.

Questions?

Email questions to our College of Engineering team at FutureEngineers@engr.wisc.edu and someone will get back to you soon.