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.

On the job, you would:

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.

Important Qualities

Creativity. Industrial engineers use creativity and ingenuity to design new production processes in many kinds of settings in order to reduce the use of material resources, time, or labor while accomplishing the same goal.

Critical-thinking skills. Industrial engineers create new systems to solve problems related to waste and inefficiency. Solving these problems requires logic and reasoning to identify strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to the problems.

Listening skills. These engineers often operate in teams, but they also must solicit feedback from customers, vendors, and production staff. They must listen to customers and clients in order to fully grasp ideas and problems.

Math skills. Industrial engineers use the principles of calculus, trigonometry, and other advanced topics in mathematics for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work.

Problem-solving skills. In designing facilities for manufacturing and processes for providing services, these engineers deal with several issues at once, from workers’ safety to quality assurance.

Speaking skills. Industrial engineers sometimes have to explain their instructions to production staff or technicians before they can make written instructions available. Being able to explain concepts clearly and quickly is crucial to preventing costly mistakes and loss of time.

Writing skills. Industrial engineers must prepare documentation for other engineers or scientists, or for future reference. The documentation must be coherent and explain their thinking clearly so that the others can understand the information.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		90%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		86%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		83%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		82%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		82%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		81%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		81%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		80%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		80%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		80%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		79%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		77%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		75%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		74%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
		65%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		52%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		100%	Investigative - Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
		61%	Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
		61%	Conventional - Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
		56%	Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		78%	Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
		78%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
		72%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
		72%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
		67%	Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		75%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		75%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
		75%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		75%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
		75%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		75%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
		72%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		66%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		66%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		60%	Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
		60%	Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
		56%	Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
		56%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
		56%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		56%	Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
		53%	Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
		53%	Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
		53%	Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		64%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
		61%	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
		59%	Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
		59%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
		59%	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
		59%	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
		59%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
		57%	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
		55%	Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
		55%	Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
		55%	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
		54%	Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Analyze project data to determine specifications or requirements.

Develop technical methods or processes.

Recommend technical design or process changes to improve efficiency, quality, or performance.

Determine operational methods.

Analyze design or requirements information for mechanical equipment or systems.

Create graphical representations of industrial production systems.

Review technical documents to plan work.

Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.

Devise research or testing protocols.

Document technical design details.

Review technical documents to plan work.

Supervise engineering or other technical personnel.

Implement design or process improvements.

Evaluate designs or specifications to ensure quality.

Prepare procedural documents.

Prepare contracts, disclosures, or applications.

Prepare operational reports.

Schedule operational activities.

Estimate operational costs.

Direct quality control activities.

Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.

Communicate technical information to suppliers, contractors, or regulatory agencies.

Discuss designs or plans with clients.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		98%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
		97%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		92%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		90%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		88%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		87%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		86%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		82%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		81%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		76%	Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets - How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
		72%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		72%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		72%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		70%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		70%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		67%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
		64%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?
		62%	Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting?
		61%	Consequence of Error - How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?
		60%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
		59%	Frequency of Conflict Situations - How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
		59%	Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
		54%	Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?
		53%	Public Speaking - How often do you have to perform public speaking in this job?
		52%	Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable - How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
		90%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		85%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		83%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		80%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		76%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		75%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		74%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		73%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		73%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		72%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		72%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		69%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		68%	Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment - Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
		67%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		66%	Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
		65%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		64%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		61%	Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
		60%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		58%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
		57%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
		56%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		54%	Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
		53%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
		52%	Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

What Industrial Engineers Do

Industrial engineers develop job evaluation programs, amongst other duties.

Industrial engineers find ways to eliminate wastefulness in production processes. They devise efficient systems that integrate workers, machines, materials, information, and energy to make a product or provide a service.

Duties

Industrial engineers typically do the following:

Review production schedules, engineering specifications, process flows, and other information to understand methods that are applied and activities that take place in manufacturing and services
Figure out how to manufacture parts or products, or deliver services, with maximum efficiency
Develop management control systems to make financial planning and cost analysis more efficient
Enact quality control procedures to resolve production problems or minimize costs
Design control systems to coordinate activities and production planning in order to ensure that products meet quality standards
Confer with clients about product specifications, vendors about purchases, management personnel about manufacturing capabilities, and staff about the status of projects

Industrial engineers apply their skills to many different situations, from manufacturing to healthcare systems to business administration. For example, they design systems for

moving heavy parts within manufacturing plants
delivering goods from a company to customers, including finding the most profitable places to locate manufacturing or processing plants
evaluating job performance
paying workers.

Some industrial engineers, called manufacturing engineers, focus entirely on the automated aspects of manufacturing processes. They design manufacturing systems to optimize the use of computer networks, robots, and materials.

Industrial engineers focus on how to get the work done most efficiently, balancing many factors, such as time, number of workers needed, available technology, actions workers need to take, achieving the end product with no errors, workers’ safety, environmental concerns, and cost.

The versatility of industrial engineers allows them to engage in activities that are useful to a variety of businesses, governments, and nonprofits. For example, industrial engineers engage in supply chain management to help businesses minimize inventory costs, conduct quality assurance activities to help businesses keep their customer bases satisfied, and work in the growing field of project management as industries across the economy seek to control costs and maximize efficiencies.

Work Environment

Industrial engineers held about 327,300 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of industrial engineers were as follows:

Transportation equipment manufacturing	16%
Professional, scientific, and technical services	13
Computer and electronic product manufacturing	12
Machinery manufacturing	9
Fabricated metal product manufacturing	6

Depending on their tasks, industrial engineers work either in offices or in the settings they are trying to improve. For example, when observing problems, they may watch workers assembling parts in a factory. When solving problems, industrial engineers may be in an office at a computer where they analyze data that they or others have collected.

Industrial engineers must work well on teams because they need help from others to collect information about problems and to implement solutions.

Industrial engineers may need to travel to observe processes and make assessments in various work settings.

Work Schedules

Most industrial engineers work full time. Depending upon the projects in which these engineers are engaged, and the industries in which the projects are taking place, hours may vary.

Getting Started

Education:

59%

Bachelor's Degree

16%

Some College Courses

How to Become an Industrial Engineer

To find ways to reduce waste and improve performance, industrial engineers carefully study product requirements.

Industrial engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree. Some employers prefer to hire candidates who have experience, so cooperative-education programs may be beneficial.

Education

High school students interested in industrial engineering should take classes in mathematics, such as algebra, trigonometry, and calculus; computer science; and sciences, such as chemistry and physics.

Industrial engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering or industrial engineering technologies. However, many industrial engineers have degrees in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering, or general engineering.

Bachelor’s degree programs include lectures in classrooms and practice in laboratories. Courses include statistics, production systems planning, and manufacturing systems design, among others. Many colleges and universities offer cooperative education programs in which students gain practical experience while completing their education.

Several colleges and universities offer 5-year degree programs in industrial engineering that lead to a bachelor’s and master’s degree upon completion, and several more offer similar programs in mechanical engineering. A graduate degree allows an engineer to work as a professor at a college or university or to engage in research and development. Some 5-year or even 6-year cooperative education plans combine classroom study with practical work, permitting students to gain experience and to finance part of their education.

Programs in industrial engineering are accredited by ABET.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Licensure is not required for entry-level positions as an industrial engineer. A Professional Engineering (PE) license, which allows for higher levels of leadership and independence, can be acquired later in one’s career. Licensed engineers are called professional engineers (PEs). A PE can oversee the work of other engineers, sign off on projects, and provide services directly to the public. State licensure generally requires

A degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program
A passing score on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam
Relevant work experience, typically at least 4 years
A passing score on the Professional Engineering (PE) exam.

The initial FE exam can be taken after one earns a bachelor’s degree. Engineers who pass this exam are commonly called engineers in training (EITs) or engineer interns (EIs). After meeting work experience requirements, EITs and EIs can take the second exam, called the Principles and Practice of Engineering.

Each state issues its own licenses. Most states recognize licensure from other states, as long as the licensing state’s requirements meet or exceed their own licensure requirements. Several states require continuing education for engineers to keep their licenses.

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers offers certification, which requires a minimum of 8 years of a combination of education related to manufacturing and at least 4 years of work experience.

Advancement

Industrial engineers who are just starting out usually work under the supervision of experienced engineers. In large companies, new engineers also may receive formal training in classes or seminars. As beginning engineers gain knowledge and experience, they move on to more difficult projects with greater independence to develop designs, solve problems, and make decisions.

Eventually, industrial engineers may advance to become technical specialists, such as quality engineers or facility planners. In that role, they supervise a team of engineers and technicians. Earning a master’s degree facilitates such specialization and thus advancement.

Many industrial engineers move into management positions because the work they do is closely related to the work of managers. For more information, see the profile on architectural and engineering managers.

Job Outlook

Employment of industrial engineers is projected to grow 12 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 22,800 openings for industrial engineers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Industrial engineers focus on reducing internal costs, making their work valuable in manufacturing and other industries, such as consulting and engineering services and research and development firms. As more companies look to lower costs, demand is expected to increase for industrial engineers to optimize production processes, manage supply chains and logistics, and provide expertise on automation.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about industrial engineers, visit

Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers

For more information about general engineering education and career resources, visit

American Society for Engineering Education

Technology Student Association

For more information about licensure as an industrial engineer, visit

National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying

National Society of Professional Engineers

For more information about certification as a manufacturing engineer, visit

Society of Manufacturing Engineers

For more information about accredited engineering programs, visit

ABET

Occupational Requirements Survey

For a profile highlighting selected BLS data on occupational requirements, see

Industrial engineers (PDF)

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of industrial engineers.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Architectural and Engineering Managers	Architectural and engineering managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities in the fields of architecture and engineering.	Bachelor's degree	$159,920
Cost Estimators	Cost estimators collect and analyze data in order to assess the time, money, materials, and labor required to make a product or provide a service.	Bachelor's degree	$71,200
Health and Safety Engineers	Health and safety engineers combine knowledge of engineering and of health and safety to develop procedures and design systems to protect people from illness and injury and property from damage.	Bachelor's degree	$100,660
Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians	Industrial engineering technologists and technicians help engineers solve problems affecting manufacturing layout or production.	Associate's degree	$61,210
Industrial Production Managers	Industrial production managers oversee the operations of manufacturing and related plants.	Bachelor's degree	$107,560
Logisticians	Logisticians analyze and coordinate an organization’s supply chain.	Bachelor's degree	$77,520
Management Analysts	Management analysts recommend ways to improve an organization’s efficiency.	Bachelor's degree	$95,290
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists and Technicians	Occupational health and safety specialists and technicians collect data on, analyze, and design improvements to work environments and procedures.	See How to Become One	$75,240
Quality Control Inspectors	Quality control inspectors examine products and materials for defects or deviations from specifications.	High school diploma or equivalent	$43,900