Engineering and architecture
Industrial engineer
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.
Median pay
$102,440
Growth to 2035
+12%
faster than average
Openings a year
23,100
Time to qualify*
Minimal
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Industrial engineer
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Industrial engineer: 80% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- 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.
- Recommend methods for improving utilization of personnel, material, and utilities.
- Record or oversee recording of information to ensure currency of engineering drawings and documentation of production problems.
Also called: Continuous Improvement Engineer · Engineer · Facilities Engineer · Industrial Engineer · Operations Engineer · Plant Engineer · Process Engineer · Project Engineer
Outlook and AI
Industrial engineers held 365,100 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 410,600 by 2035 (+12%, faster than average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Demand change - share increases as increasingly complex manufacturing processes, logistics and supply chains drive demand for industrial engineers to design and develop them.
Compare with
- Industrial engineer vs. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Industrial engineer vs. Industrial production manager
- Industrial engineer vs. Mechanical engineer
- Industrial engineer vs. Logistician
- Industrial engineer vs. Engineers, all other
- Industrial engineer vs. Electrical engineer
- Industrial engineer vs. Materials engineer