Industrial Engineers
Design, develop, test, and evaluate integrated systems for managing industrial production processes, including human work factors, quality control, inventory control, logistics and material flow, cost analysis, and production coordination.
What it pays
Industrial Engineers earn a median of $49.25/hr — about $102,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $35.76/hr; the top 10% earn $76.85/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Industrial Engineers earn a median of $49.25/hr — about $102,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $35.76/hr; the top 10% earn $76.85/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Estimate production costs, cost saving methods, and the effects of product design changes on expenditures for management review, action, and control.
- Plan and establish sequence of operations to fabricate and assemble parts or products and to promote efficient utilization.
- Analyze statistical data and product specifications to determine standards and establish quality and reliability objectives of finished product.
- Confer with clients, vendors, staff, and management personnel regarding purchases, product and production specifications, manufacturing capabilities, or project status.
- Communicate with management and user personnel to develop production and design standards.
- Evaluate precision and accuracy of production and testing equipment and engineering drawings to formulate corrective action plan.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
Working for yourself
About 0.2% of industrial engineers are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are analytical, organized and detail-focused and hands-on.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
- Civil Engineers
- Mechanical Engineers
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval
- Environmental Engineers
- Electrical Engineers
- Engineers, All Other
Quick questions
- How much does a industrial engineer make?
- The median pay is $49.25 per hour — roughly $102,500 a year, with the real range running from about $35.76/hr (10th percentile) to $76.85/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a industrial engineer?
- The typical entry-level education is: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation level: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
- What does a industrial engineer actually do all day?
- Estimate production costs, cost saving methods, and the effects of product design changes on expenditures for management review, action, and control. Plan and establish sequence of operations to fabricate and assemble parts or products and to promote efficient utilization. Analyze statistical data and product specifications to determine standards and establish quality and reliability objectives of finished product.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.