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How important is getting a master’s degree after getting an Industrial Engineering Degree at college? Would jobs be way easier to get after getting masters? Or is undergraduate degree enough
I think it depends what you want to do. I think that many industrial engineering students are able to find jobs with only an undergraduate degree. With that being said, I think the masters would be useful if you have a specific path that you want to take that lends itself well to an ISYE masters track. For example, I know of students who are in the health systems engineering masters track for ISYE, and the opportunity to learn more specifically about that field of work is really helpful to prepare them for jobs related to that field. The masters provides an opportunity to learn a lot more learn about these topics than is learned from undergrad alone.
Jobs with only an undergraduate degree are very easy to find in the current market. In addition many companies do provide further learning options, and can even sponsor masters programs to get a higher degree. I think the decision between going into the job market, and getting a masters really depends on what field you want to work in.
Undergraduate degrees should be enough for the most part in my opinion. There is definitely high demand for IE professionals not only in the IE domain but also Data Science. Many a time, the position is for a data scientist when in fact someone with experience in simulations/ optimization is needed. If going for a masters after IE, my strong recommendation is a major outside of IE but perhaps relevant could definitely be beneficial, such as Informatics, Manufacturing, Systems etc.
I think it is really up to you. When thinking about a Master’s degree, you need to strongly think about what topics interest you. Especially because of the diversity of the Industrial Engineering major, I think it may be a little bit challenging to make a judgment call before you’ve experienced the entire IE curriculum. It is always a good idea to work in Industry after undergrad. Through your job, you will be able to figure out where your interests really lie. And as Alex said, you can even get the company to sponsor your degree!
Like everyone else has said, it’s totally up to you. If you love something specific in ISyE like Operations Research or Health Systems Engineering, by all means consider a Masters because they allow you to get more specific with your education. If not, look for jobs and learn a little bit more about what you like. There is always the option that a company will help pay for your Masters program after working there for a couple years – definitely worth noting.
