Quick answer:Industrial Engineers in the Hickory area earn a median $86,640 per year, below the national median of $102,440, and the metro employs about 670 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Industrial Engineering Pay in Hickory, NC
Metric
Hickory metro
North Carolina
National
Median annual wage
$86,640
$99,310
$102,440
10th percentile
$61,600
$68,930
$74,370
25th percentile
$74,340
$81,190
$83,600
75th percentile
$102,310
$121,090
$129,250
90th percentile
$128,290
$139,110
$159,860
Employment
670
11,580
365,740
Location quotient
1.85
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The Hickory median of $86,640 is below the national median of $102,440, and below the North Carolina statewide median of $99,310 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.85 means industrial engineers are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Industrial engineering demand tracks the region’s manufacturing base, distribution and logistics networks, and large healthcare or service operations that run process improvement teams.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Industrial engineering sits on the same Professional Engineer path the state boards administer, through an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience and the PE exam in industrial and systems engineering. In practice the license is required less often here than in civil or environmental work, because most industrial engineers are employed inside manufacturing and logistics operations under what is commonly called the industrial exemption. The credentials employers ask for more often are Lean and Six Sigma certifications, which are issued by private bodies rather than by any state.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How We Rank Schools
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that
local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal
IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
The median annual wage for industrial engineers in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area is $86,640, below the national median of $102,440 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many industrial engineers work in the Hickory area?
The Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area employs about 670 industrial engineers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do industrial engineers in Hickory need a license?
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Industrial engineering sits on the same Professional Engineer path the state boards administer, through an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience and the PE exam in industrial and systems engineering. In practice the license is required less often here than in civil or environmental work, because most industrial engineers are employed inside manufacturing and logistics operations under what is commonly called the industrial exemption. The credentials employers ask for more often are Lean and Six Sigma certifications, which are issued by private bodies rather than by any state. Confirm current requirements with your state engineering licensing board.
Can I study industrial engineering online from Hickory?
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state engineering licensing board.
Is Hickory a better market than the rest of North Carolina?
The Hickory metro median is $86,640 against a statewide median of $99,310 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Industrial Engineers (SOC 17-2112), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
