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.
So what does $117K get you in Boulder?
About industrial engineers
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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 | , |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $132K | , |
| Colorado Springs | $105K | , |
| Greeley | $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 states
Track industrial engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Boulder numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a industrial engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boulder?
Yes — at the median salary of $117K, rent takes 28.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,044/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 $4,983/month.
Is industrial engineer a high-paying job in Boulder?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $117K here vs. $102K nationally.
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%.
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 $2,044/month, which eats 28.6% 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 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median industrial engineers salary is worth about $117,160 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.