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The differences between industrial engineers and reliability engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an industrial engineer and a reliability engineer. Additionally, a reliability engineer has an average salary of $105,551, which is higher than the $76,501 average annual salary of an industrial engineer.
The top three skills for an industrial engineer include continuous improvement, lean manufacturing and sigma. The most important skills for a reliability engineer are java, troubleshoot, and ruby.
| Industrial Engineer | Reliability Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $76,501 | $105,551 |
| Hourly rate | $36.78 | $50.75 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 46,756 | 44,471 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An industrial engineer specializes in devising various systems to improve the workflow and the workforce in a manufacturing setting. One of their primary responsibilities is to understand all of the procedures in a manufacturing plant and develop strategies to resolve issues or improve production operations, such as designing a cost-efficient machine or system that will enhance the quality of goods and boost the productivity of workers. Moreover, it is also essential to adhere to all the company's policies and safety regulations to maintain a safe and productive work environment for all employees.
A reliability engineer is in charge of determining and managing the asset reliability risks of businesses. Reliability engineers are professionals who solve problems related to engineering. They are equipped with a better understanding of the principles of performance evaluation and prediction for product safety. The job requires knowledge of the field of engineering, strong communication, interpersonal skills, management skills, attention to detail, and reliability. They are also expected to become experts in engineering systems.
Industrial engineers and reliability engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Industrial Engineer | Reliability Engineer | |
| Average salary | $76,501 | $105,551 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $97,000 | Between $76,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Start-up |
There are a few differences between an industrial engineer and a reliability engineer in terms of educational background:
| Industrial Engineer | Reliability Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Industrial Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | New York University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between industrial engineers' and reliability engineers' demographics:
| Industrial Engineer | Reliability Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.2% Female, 19.8% | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 12.9% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 14.3% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |