What is an industrial engineer and how to become one

Q: How many years does it take to become an industrial engineer?

It takes at least four years to become an industrial engineer. A career in industrial engineering requires a person to possess a bachelor's degree in engineering or a similar field. This will qualify a candidate to move into an entry-level industrial engineer position. Entry-level industrial engineering jobs include a variety of positions where a person will make calculations, monitor and test devices, document findings, or help determine solutions to engineering problems that reduce waste and increase productivity.

Q: Is industrial engineering a good career?

Yes, industrial engineering is a good career. Employers across multiple industries seek skilled industrial engineers for their ability to improve the efficiency and quality of production processes. There is a projected ten percent growth in industrial engineering over the next decade.

Q: Is industrial engineering hard?

Yes, industrial engineering is hard, but it is one of the easier engineering degrees. This is because industrial engineering is less based on pure math and more about understanding how businesses and machines function in the best way possible.

Q: What are the jobs for industrial engineers?

Industrial engineers can apply for many different kinds of jobs in healthcare or energy. They work in many positions at hospitals and research and development firms, as well as major manufacturing industries and engineering services.

Q: What companies hire industrial engineers?

Companies in manufacturing, logistics, and consulting industries are known to hire industrial engineers. These industries value industrial engineers for their ability to optimize processes, improve efficiency, and drive operational excellence. Top companies that hire industrial engineers include:

Q: What is the career path for an industrial engineer?

The career path for an industrial engineer includes jobs as a manufacturing engineer, operations supervisor, and operations manager. Industrial engineering is a large field with many different career paths and components, which makes it great to find something based on your skill level and personal interests.

Q: Where does an industrial engineer work?

Industrial engineers work in a large number of fields, from hospitals and research and development firms to major manufacturing industries and engineering services. Industrial engineers develop strategies to more effectively utilize energy, meaning they work in any industry that requires maximizing resources.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

James Swisher

An industrial engineer is a person who uses engineering principles to design and optimize complex systems, processes, and organizations. They work to improve efficiency, productivity, and safety in various industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and transportation. Industrial engineers analyze data and operations to identify areas of improvement and develop solutions to enhance performance while collaborating with many other professionals. They also design experiments, create models, and use computer simulations to test and evaluate systems.

What general advice would you give to an industrial engineer?

James Swisher

Director of Continuing Education, Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers

It’s truly an exciting time to be an Industrial and Systems Engineer. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects demand for ISEs to grow by 10% over the next ten years, which is much faster than the rate for all occupations. Firms across a broad range of industries will continue to focus on the skills that ISEs bring to improve efficiencies, enhance quality, and lower costs. In addition, ISEs bring skills in the related fields of big data, artificial intelligence, and project management that make them extremely valuable to organizations. ISEs ability to quickly make an impact in an organization also means that their potential for promotion is very good. It’s a great profession to be in.

ScoreIndustrial EngineerUS Average

Salary

6.0

Avg. Salary $76,501

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.5

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 12.89%

Black or African American 4.79%

Hispanic or Latino 11.78%

Unknown 3.96%

White 66.41%

Gender

female 19.85%

male 80.15%

Age - 41

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41

Stress level

7.5

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an industrial engineer?

Pros

High demand for industrial engineers in various industries
Potential for high salary and career growth
Chance to work on innovative projects and technologies
Ability to work on both technical and management aspects of projects
Chance to work with cross-functional teams

Cons

Long hours and tight deadlines during peak periods
High levels of stress and pressure to meet targets and goals
Need to constantly learn new skills and stay up-to-date with industry trends
Potential for a lot of paperwork and administrative tasks
May require working in hazardous environments or conditions

Key steps to become an industrial engineer

Explore industrial engineer education requirements

Most common industrial engineer degrees

Bachelor's

78.4 %

Master's

12.1 %

Associate

6.9 %

Start to develop specific industrial engineer skills

Skills	Percentages
Continuous Improvement	9.00%
Lean Manufacturing	7.20%
Sigma	5.46%
Project Management	5.35%
Logistics	4.59%

Complete relevant industrial engineer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New industrial engineers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an industrial engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real industrial engineer resumes.

Research industrial engineer duties and responsibilities

Plan, manage, lead and execute projects from conception to successful completion using the DMAIC methodology.
Manage development of equipment, which include electrical systems, PLC programming, pneumatic circuits, hydraulic systems and fixtures.
Lead PDCA project to reduce order sizing defects that impact customer product delivery, avoiding $230K in lose revenue.
Utilize AutoCad for plant layout modifications or capital projects.

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