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The differences between sustaining engineers and industrial engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a sustaining engineer and an industrial engineer. Additionally, a sustaining engineer has an average salary of $88,351, which is higher than the $76,501 average annual salary of an industrial engineer.
The top three skills for a sustaining engineer include troubleshoot, lean six sigma and lean manufacturing. The most important skills for an industrial engineer are continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, and sigma.
| Sustaining Engineer | Industrial Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,351 | $76,501 |
| Hourly rate | $42.48 | $36.78 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 57,402 | 46,756 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A sustaining engineer is responsible for monitoring industrial operations, including the efficiency of processes and the performance of tools and equipment, ensuring high-quality deliverables for business objectives. Sustaining engineers evaluate the safety and security of the operations, strategizing techniques to manage potential hazards that may cause delays in the production. They also work with the management to identify opportunities to maximize productivity and maintain cost-reduction procedures, especially on materials and equipment. A sustaining engineer handles operational issues, as well as assessing incident reports for immediate resolution.
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.
Sustaining engineers and industrial engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sustaining Engineer | Industrial Engineer | |
| Average salary | $88,351 | $76,501 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $114,000 | Between $59,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between a sustaining engineer and an industrial engineer in terms of educational background:
| Sustaining Engineer | Industrial Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Industrial Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | New York University |
Here are the differences between sustaining engineers' and industrial engineers' demographics:
| Sustaining Engineer | Industrial Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% | Male, 80.2% Female, 19.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 15.1% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 4% | 4% |