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Job outlook for continuous improvement engineers in the United States
Continuous improvement engineer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected continuous improvement engineer job growth rate is 10% from 2018-2028.
About 30,600 new jobs for continuous improvement engineers are projected over the next decade.
Continuous improvement engineer salaries have increased 6% for continuous improvement engineers in the last 5 years.
There are over 96,662 continuous improvement engineers currently employed in the United States.
There are 42,411 active continuous improvement engineer job openings in the US.
The average continuous improvement engineer salary is $78,918.
Are continuous improvement engineer jobs in demand?
Continuous improvement engineer job and salary trends over time
Continuous improvement engineer jobs over time
Continuous improvement engineer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 96,662 | 0.03% |
| 2020 | 96,756 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | 96,834 | 0.03% |
| 2018 | 90,553 | 0.03% |
| 2017 | 84,090 | 0.03% |
Average continuous improvement engineer salary over time
Continuous improvement engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $78,918 | $37.94 | +1.1% |
| 2024 | $78,093 | $37.54 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $77,224 | $37.13 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $76,195 | $36.63 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $74,802 | $35.96 | +1.0% |
Continuous improvement engineer jobs by state
Most common states for continuous improvement engineers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 153 | 22% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 844 | 12% |
| 3 | Delaware | 961,939 | 112 | 12% |
| 4 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 143 | 11% |
| 5 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 827 | 10% |
| 6 | California | 39,536,653 | 3,748 | 9% |
| 7 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 529 | 9% |
| 8 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 485 | 9% |
| 9 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 598 | 8% |
| 10 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 499 | 8% |
| 11 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 344 | 8% |
| 12 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 295 | 8% |
| 13 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 250 | 8% |
| 14 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 522 | 7% |
| 15 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 448 | 7% |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 405 | 7% |
| 17 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 356 | 7% |
| 18 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 128 | 7% |
| 19 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 663 | 6% |
| 20 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 590 | 6% |
Most common cities for continuous improvement engineers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LaGrange | 3 | 10% | $70,679 |
| 2 | Lafayette | 2 | 3% | $69,052 |
| 3 | Novi | 2 | 3% | $79,634 |
| 4 | Apopka | 1 | 2% | $69,583 |
| 5 | Auburn | 1 | 2% | $73,682 |
| 6 | Bartlett | 1 | 2% | $67,079 |
| 7 | Atlanta | 3 | 1% | $70,950 |
| 8 | Joliet | 2 | 1% | $73,402 |
| 9 | Sunnyvale | 2 | 1% | $96,710 |
| 10 | Columbus | 1 | 1% | $70,459 |
| 11 | Chicago | 3 | 0% | $73,725 |
| 12 | Indianapolis | 2 | 0% | $68,964 |
| 13 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $82,621 |
Continuous Improvement Engineer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of continuous improvement engineer experts
Northern Illinois University
University of Washington
Arizona State University at the Polytechnic Campus
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
North Dakota State University
University of Denver
University of Houston - Downtown
Wichita State University
University of California
What general advice would you give to a Continuous Improvement Engineer?
Ziteng Wang Ph.D.: If I could only give one piece of general advice to Industrial Engineering graduates beginning their career in the field, it would be to keep an open mind. One of the advantages for a student to have an IE degree is that they could apply their skills to almost any industry. As good as it sounds, this also means that the student must quickly learn to understand the organization they work for and the industry they choose to begin their career in. Doing this will allow the student to bridge their IE knowledge and skills with the reality and uniqueness of their job, and therefore, quickly adapt to the field and make an impact. Keeping an open mind also means to understand what they see in the field may be far different than what they learned in the classroom or from the textbooks because the real-world problems that Industrial Engineers are faced with are often complex for a variety of reasons. As someone who just begins their career, the student should anticipate adjusting the “perfect model” in their mind to a realistic version by using a combination of their IE skills.
What Continuous Improvement Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ziteng Wang Ph.D.: Stay relevant and up to date in the field as the IE field, just like other rapidly growing fields, is evolving very fast. Stay up to date of the latest developments and technologies in the industry. Take on big challenges and make an impact. Prove yourself and show your ability, skills, and potential. Learn from the best, and give your best advice to others. Get involved in the professional community to maximize your opportunities.
What will help Continuous Improvement Engineers increase their earning potential?
Ziteng Wang Ph.D.: There are quite many, but I’d like to highlight two. The first is the data analytics skill. This argument is not new, but I think the skill becomes more and more important. Rather than a particular skill, data analytics skill is more like a toolbox because it involves a variety of abilities to use different software for data cleansing, visualization, statistical modeling, validation, and data-driven decision-making. One of the reasons why Industrial Engineering is one of the most exciting and coolest jobs is that we could deal with data of all sorts in terms of scale, industry, quality, and problems to solve. This requires IE students to prepare themselves for the challenge which only will be more prevalent as AI-enabled products and technologies rely on data and produce new data. The second is the skill to work in an interdisciplinary team and communicate to people from different backgrounds. Industrial engineering deals with processes and systems that could span widely in scale, from global supply chains to manufacturing plants. IE students must be able to understand the perspectives and “languages” of various departments and even different organizations, and make their work, results, and their IE perspective understood by the stakeholders. This might not be easy but is highly necessary and becoming more important than ever because the problems in the field are more and more complex, requiring collaborative effort and system-wide solutions.
What general advice would you give to a Continuous Improvement Engineer?
Shuai Huang: An Industrial Engineer uses data analytics, simulation, operations research, optimization methods, human factors, and scientific management tools to develop an analytic perspective of business processes and production systems for optimal performance.
What Continuous Improvement Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Shuai Huang: Industrial & Systems Engineers are in high demand across various industries such as logistics, healthcare, energy, manufacturing, robotics, and cyber-infrastructure, offering diverse roles with unique challenges and rewards.
What will help Continuous Improvement Engineers increase their earning potential?
Shuai Huang: People like the leadership and management components of Industrial Engineering, the use of data analytics, simulation and digital twin technologies, and human factors to design better systems. Dislikes include the lack of understanding about the field by others.
Jerry Gintz CMfgE
Teaching ProfessorArizona State University at the Polytechnic Campus
Manufacturing Engineering
What general advice would you give to a Continuous Improvement Engineer?
Jerry Gintz CMfgE: When entering a career in manufacturing engineering, consider starting as a technician to gain experience with the company before transitioning into engineering. This will allow you to build confidence and better understand the production systems you will be responsible for as an engineer.
What Continuous Improvement Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jerry Gintz CMfgE: From a manufacturing engineering perspective, the most important skills an engineer will need is the ability to understand, design, assemble, and deploy production capable systems. This includes an expertise with computer-aided engineering tools to assist in the design and verification of engineered systems before a company expends capital on the equipment.
What will help Continuous Improvement Engineers increase their earning potential?
Jerry Gintz CMfgE: From a manufacturing engineering perspective, compensation is normally tied to capability so the more relevant skills a candidate has entering the workforce the higher compensation they can expect to receive. This is especially true in manufacturing given the shortage of qualified engineering talent available for hire. Additionally, consider focusing on industrial automation as a resource to aid efficient production. Manufacturing is always looking to increase efficiency and a foundational knowledge of industrial automation systems will serve you well as you build a career in manufacturing engineering.
Michael Buechler
Professor Manufacturing TechnologyWhat general advice would you give to a Continuous Improvement Engineer?
Michael Buechler: I counsel my students to know their worth and know the job market. Most important is starting out in a position that challenges you and provides training for future wage and skill growth. Many graduates can get caught in a job that pays the bills but may not provide a path to the next career step. Be ambitious and seek to attain the advanced skills quickly but keep in mind the field is complex and there is a lot to learn. If you are in a high wage position but it does not provide the training or room for advancement it might not be the best career option.
What Continuous Improvement Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Michael Buechler: Model based definition, highly technical computer skills, 5 axis & familiarity with macros is going to be the future of advanced manufacturing. It is paramount that high skill individuals START with as much set-up experience as possible. In order to command 100k + as a programmer you need to know the correct inputs and physics of the manufacturing program you are making
What will help Continuous Improvement Engineers increase their earning potential?
Michael Buechler: I would suggest beginning career individuals maintain an open mind as to where their carrer leads, they may find interest in areas of manufacturing not previously known or explored by them. Also work especially hard early in your career and try and find an employer that gives you the best opportunity to grow professionally and learn new skills.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Continuous Improvement Engineer job market given the pandemic?
William Cross Ph.D.: The biggest job market trends given the pandemic are working from home, and slightly delayed hiring - in Metallurgical Engineering at SD Mines, it took about 9-12 months for our Spring 2020 graduates to be hired to levels that took less than three months pre-pandemic, although eventually most of our graduates have been placed. The Fall 2020 graduates have seen a similar delay.
I expect some of the work from home will remain into the future, but do not expect the delayed hiring to extend for too much longer. I also expect that in some fields the pandemic has accelerated trends towards greater automation of job functions.
What soft skills should all Continuous Improvement Engineers possess?
William Cross Ph.D.: The soft skills that all graduates should possess are primarily in communication - speaking/writing clearly, and listening/reading comprehension - and in teamwork skills. Being able to function in a variety of roles on a team is very important to success in many jobs.
How have salaries changed over time for Continuous Improvement Engineers?
William Cross Ph.D.: This of course depends on the time range to which the question refers. Over the last 4-5 years salaries have been rather flat on average going by SD Mines graduates in Metallurgical Engineering, although this is working off a rather high baseline. SD Mines has been recognized as the top engineering schools in the nation for return on investment, and Metallugical Engineering has an above average starting salary for SD Mines at around $65,000/year.
Andriy Voronov
ProfessorNorth Dakota State University
Coatings and Polymeric Materials Department
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Continuous Improvement Engineers?
Andriy Voronov: I think most graduate programs in materials science offer opportunities for interdisciplinary research and educational activities. Their philosophy is to educate and prepare job prospects by providing advanced aspects of work, including extensive collaborations between departments, programs, institutions or with industrial partners. Offering specialized trainings in various areas, graduate programs aim to merge basic and applied research within the certain field. With this said, quit often graduate programs work also with leading industrial scientists who help to provide to the graduates new and practical directions to become competitive at the job market. Answering your question more specifically, graduate programs do target as complementary and comprehensive education as possible. It will be interesting to hear from graduates what courses they took have the biggest impact for them, as well as if they need any additional certifications/licenses and which specifically.
How have salaries changed over time for Continuous Improvement Engineers?
Andriy Voronov: Being materials scientist means being able to do lot of things starting from fundamental research on material properties and characterization up to developing entirely new formulations and modify them to make new products suitable for new applications. One should be prepared to work in research lab, but also in pilot plants, as well as in manufacturing facilities. As for the soft skills, those are critical thinking, problem solving, communication, written and oral, including ability to communicate science to scientists, but also nonscientific audience, also flexibility and adaptability in (always) willing to learn. Although not a soft skill, but rather technical one, do not forget about fundamental knowledge and understanding of materials specifics and properties one works with.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Continuous Improvement Engineers?
Andriy Voronov: Since pandemic is not over yet, there may be only a guess on how significant this impact can be. I think answering this question resonates with more general one, namely, "Will our life after COVID-19 be the same as before?" We all want to be positive about that but are just not certain. Moreover, I think in some professional aspects in most fields, changes are unavoidable. Working from home, attending virtual conferences, taking part in Zoom meetings, even virtual get together with colleagues will most probably remain to be a new post-pandemic working routine, by all advantages and disadvantages this may bring to most recent graduates. Speaking about materials science, I hope and do believe that there will be global and impactful factors other than coronavirus pandemic, such as novel materials trends, technological innovations etc., to take into account for graduates.
Dr. Matt Howard Gordon Ph.D.
Professor & Chair, Mechanical & Materials EngineeringUniversity of Denver
Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Continuous Improvement Engineers?
Dr. Matt Howard Gordon Ph.D.: I think so. At least for a couple years.
What will help Continuous Improvement Engineers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Matt Howard Gordon Ph.D.: I stress outside the class experiences - internships, undergraduate research, and/or study abroad. I believe all help with earning potential. And maybe students should consider getting their PE.
What's a good job out of college for Continuous Improvement Engineers?
Dr. Matt Howard Gordon Ph.D.: I think any technical job is a good job for engineers. You build experience, ideally in an area of interest, making it easier to get your next job.
Dr. Maria Benavides Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Chemistry Program Coordinator, Assistant ChairUniversity of Houston - Downtown
College of Sciences and Technology
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Continuous Improvement Engineer job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Maria Benavides Ph.D.: Chemistry graduates can work in a broad spectrum of fields: education, government agencies, research laboratories, and industry (oil, chemical, healthcare, pharmaceutical), and these jobs should still be viable options to Chemistry majors, even during the pandemic. As a result of the pandemic, I anticipate a greater number of opportunities arising in the pharmaceutical industry and the drug discovery field.
What skills stand out on Continuous Improvement Engineer resumes?
Dr. Maria Benavides Ph.D.: Apart from a good foundation in the chemistry discipline, skills that will stand out on resumes include: experience in various analytical techniques, excellent communication skills both verbally and in writing, ability to work collaboratively (team player), and the ability to think critically to find solutions to problems (problem solving). Another valuable skill nowadays would be to be competent in the use of technology for communication purposes (Zoom, etc.).
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Continuous Improvement Engineers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Maria Benavides Ph.D.: Texas is a good place for Chemistry graduates, particularly the city of Houston, which houses the largest medical center in the world, and the largest petroleum industry hub in the world. Most of our graduates find employment in the oil industry but also in those companies that provide services to the petroleum industry, such as chemical supply, waste disposal, chemical safety, etc. Our graduates also find employment in the medical research field, in research labs such as the famous UT Anderson Cancer Center.
Dr. Atul Rai Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorWichita State University
School of Accountancy, Barton School of Business
What experience really stands out on Continuous Improvement Engineer resumes?
Dr. Atul Rai Ph.D.: Employers are looking for people who can integrate in multi-disciplinary environments to solve complex problems. They are looking for resumes that show quick learning. Such resumes will permanently be in great demand. Because the world is interconnected much more than it ever was, employees today will deal with customers, supply-chains, and fellow employees who are spread all over the world. It means that an experience that showcases the global perspective will be in demand over the long-term.
What experience really stands out on Continuous Improvement Engineer resumes?
Diran Apelian: Graduates who have never had industry experience are at a disadvantage. Those who stand out have taken risks and have exposed themselves to various engineering venues through summer jobs and various internships. Theory and practice stands out.