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The differences between lean manufacturing engineers and industrial engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a lean manufacturing engineer, becoming an industrial engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an industrial engineer has an average salary of $76,501, which is higher than the $75,994 average annual salary of a lean manufacturing engineer.
The top three skills for a lean manufacturing engineer include lean manufacturing, kaizen events and process improvement. The most important skills for an industrial engineer are continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, and sigma.
| Lean Manufacturing Engineer | Industrial Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $75,994 | $76,501 |
| Hourly rate | $36.54 | $36.78 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 59,193 | 46,756 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Lean manufacturing engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for executing the lean manufacturing method, a process that reduces waste in a manufacturing system without sacrificing productivity. These engineers must utilize lean tools and train all plant personnel about using these tools to identify wastes and reduce costs. They must lead the process improvement teams to initiate activities that eliminate waste in all aspects of the operation. Lean manufacturing engineers must also perform cost or benefit analysts to determine the return of investment (ROI) of capital expenditures and project initiatives.
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.
Lean manufacturing engineers and industrial engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lean Manufacturing Engineer | Industrial Engineer | |
| Average salary | $75,994 | $76,501 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $97,000 | Between $59,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | Milpitas, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Stryker | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a lean manufacturing engineer and an industrial engineer in terms of educational background:
| Lean Manufacturing Engineer | Industrial Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Industrial Engineering | Industrial Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | New York University |
Here are the differences between lean manufacturing engineers' and industrial engineers' demographics:
| Lean Manufacturing Engineer | Industrial Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.4% Female, 15.6% | Male, 80.2% Female, 19.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 17.1% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 4% |