Industrial Engineers Salary
Industrial Engineers in Boulder, CO make a median of $117,160 a year, or about $56.33 an hour. The range runs from $83K at the entry level to $165K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.2), so that salary is closer to $111,369 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,033/month, or 26.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $117K actually covers in Boulder, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Boulder’s Regional Price Parity (105.2). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About industrial engineers
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What this looks like in Boulder
Boulder sits well above the national pay line for industrial engineers, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $102K. Rent runs $2,033/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.2), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for industrial engineers in metros near Boulder, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $109K | $103K |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $132K | $130K |
| Colorado Springs | $105K | $105K |
| Greeley | $104K | $104K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boulder, CO
Entry-level industrial engineers (10th percentile) start around $83K. Mid-career wages sit at $117K. Top earners bring in $165K or more, a $82K spread from bottom to top.
Industrial Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Industrial Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $157K | +53% | 220 |
| Washington | $129K | +26% | 6,130 |
| Oregon | $128K | +25% | 5,810 |
| New Mexico | $128K | +25% | 1,140 |
| California | $125K | +22% | 32,680 |
| Hawaii | $124K | +21% | 50 |
| Louisiana | $123K | +20% | 1,710 |
| Wyoming | $122K | +19% | 240 |
| Delaware | $120K | +17% | 820 |
| Maryland | $120K | +17% | 3,900 |
| Colorado | $110K | +7% | 5,200 |
| Massachusetts | $109K | +7% | 11,470 |
| Rhode Island | $109K | +7% | 990 |
| West Virginia | $108K | +6% | 850 |
| Arizona | $108K | +6% | 7,520 |
| Texas | $105K | +2% | 30,980 |
| Montana | $104K | +2% | 390 |
| Connecticut | $104K | +2% | 6,020 |
| Utah | $104K | +1% | 5,520 |
| New Jersey | $104K | +1% | 6,870 |
| District of Columbia | $103K | +1% | 160 |
| Vermont | $103K | +1% | 440 |
| Minnesota | $103K | +0% | 17,580 |
| New York | $103K | +0% | 11,810 |
| Virginia | $103K | +0% | 5,580 |
| Nevada | $102K | -0% | 1,570 |
| Michigan | $102K | -1% | 30,990 |
| Florida | $102K | -1% | 14,050 |
| New Hampshire | $101K | -1% | 1,940 |
| South Carolina | $101K | -1% | 7,960 |
| Maine | $101K | -1% | 1,030 |
| Idaho | $101K | -2% | 1,330 |
| Illinois | $101K | -2% | 18,640 |
| Georgia | $100K | -2% | 8,940 |
| Ohio | $100K | -2% | 23,480 |
| Alabama | $100K | -2% | 7,650 |
| Kansas | $100K | -3% | 3,450 |
| Pennsylvania | $100K | -3% | 13,180 |
| North Carolina | $99K | -3% | 11,580 |
| Missouri | $99K | -3% | 5,070 |
| Tennessee | $99K | -3% | 7,440 |
| Arkansas | $98K | -4% | 1,710 |
| Nebraska | $98K | -4% | 1,160 |
| Iowa | $98K | -5% | 3,600 |
| Oklahoma | $98K | -5% | 2,170 |
| Indiana | $97K | -5% | 11,680 |
| Wisconsin | $97K | -5% | 13,070 |
| North Dakota | $97K | -5% | 600 |
| Kentucky | $97K | -5% | 6,070 |
| Mississippi | $96K | -6% | 2,450 |
| South Dakota | $93K | -9% | 830 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track industrial engineers salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a industrial engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boulder?
Yes — at the median salary of $117K, rent takes 28.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,033/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for industrial engineers in Boulder?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new industrial engineers typically earn — is $83K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,263/month. At HUD’s $2,033/month FMR, rent would take 39% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is industrial engineer a high-paying job in Boulder?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $117K here vs. $102K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 5% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Boulder compare to the national average for industrial engineers?
Boulder pays $117K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $111K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do industrial engineers make in Boulder, CO?
The median is $117,160 a year, that works out to about $56 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $83,050, and experienced industrial engineers can clear $164,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $117K enough to live in Boulder?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,138/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,033/month, which eats 28.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a industrial engineers salary go in Boulder?
Boulder has a Regional Price Parity of 105.2 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median industrial engineers salary is worth about $111,369 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do industrial engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.