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The differences between manufacturing engineers lead 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 manufacturing engineer lead, becoming an industrial engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a manufacturing engineer lead has an average salary of $88,937, which is higher than the $76,501 average annual salary of an industrial engineer.
The top three skills for a manufacturing engineer lead include lean manufacturing, sigma and CAD. The most important skills for an industrial engineer are continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, and sigma.
| Manufacturing Engineer Lead | Industrial Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,937 | $76,501 |
| Hourly rate | $42.76 | $36.78 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 74,287 | 46,756 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Lead manufacturing engineers are responsible for assisting with new product expansion, product introduction, and pricing out planning for existing product lines alongside the implementation of engineering processes and principles. They help with the technical coordination between division and group leading manufacturing locations beyond the present site. Their duties include implementing manufacturing engineering to provide superior technical output promptly. Also, they fulfill technical subject matter competence, assist with the growth of organizational engineering or technical skills to reach the division and site strategies, as well as aid in the training for receiving and sending sites.
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.
Manufacturing engineers lead and industrial engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Engineer Lead | Industrial Engineer | |
| Average salary | $88,937 | $76,501 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $112,000 | Between $59,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Apple | |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing engineer lead and an industrial engineer in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Engineer Lead | Industrial Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Industrial Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | New York University |
Here are the differences between manufacturing engineers lead' and industrial engineers' demographics:
| Manufacturing Engineer Lead | Industrial Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.0% Female, 9.0% | Male, 80.2% Female, 19.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 17.0% White, 62.7% 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% |