Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians graduates earn a median $80,890 four years after finishing — $32,530/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,902/yr net price ($67,608 over four years), that pays back in about 2.1 years. Federal data pools 121 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 2,438 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians ranks #51 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 75% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brigham Young University-Idaho | ID | $103,769 |
| 2 | SUNY Buffalo State University | NY | $98,018 |
| 3 | Weber State University | UT | $94,454 |
| 4 | Ferris State University | MI | $91,993 |
| 5 | Indiana State University | IN | $91,915 |
| 6 | University of Southern Mississippi | MS | $89,904 |
| 7 | Ohio Northern University | OH | $89,697 |
| 8 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | $89,629 |
| 9 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | CA | $89,195 |
| 10 | Northern Kentucky University | KY | $88,492 |
| 11 | Purdue University-Main Campus | IN | $88,474 |
| 12 | Tarleton State University | TX | $87,678 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.
How fast does Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians pay grow after graduation?
From $68,154 one year out to $80,890 four years out — a $12,736 climb, or 19% over three years. Both are federal medians of the same graduating cohorts, so the gap reflects real wage progression rather than a change in who is measured.
How many students graduate in Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians each year?
About 2,438 bachelor's graduates a year across 121 programs in the federal file. Cohort size matters when reading the median: a field this size averages across a wide range of employers, regions and job titles.