Vocational Index

Career

Industrial engineers

Make systems of people, machines and materials work better.

$102,440
Median pay
+12.4%
Job growth, 2025–35
23,100
Openings a year
Bachelor's degree
Typical education
4 years
Typical time after high school

Here's what you actually need to know.

The work

What people in this job do

  • Estimate production costs, cost saving methods, and the effects of product design changes on expenditures for management review, action, and control.
  • Plan and establish sequence of operations to fabricate and assemble parts or products and to promote efficient utilization.
  • Analyze statistical data and product specifications to determine standards and establish quality and reliability objectives of finished product.
  • Confer with clients, vendors, staff, and management personnel regarding purchases, product and production specifications, manufacturing capabilities, or project status.
  • Communicate with management and user personnel to develop production and design standards.

The outlook

How the forecast changed this year

2024–34 edition+11.0%2025–35 edition+12.4%
Projected 10-year growth in last year's and this year's BLS projections. 25,200 → 23,100 openings a year.

The deeper question

What kind of person does this path ask you to become?

What this work centers on

Information & systems
5.3
Ideas & analysis
5.0
Objects & tools
5.0
Persuasion & leadership
3.3
Creation & expression
1.6
People & care
1.4

O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.

The work

Do you want most of your days spent on information & systems, then ideas & analysis?

Responsibility

Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?

“Estimate production costs, cost saving methods, and the effects of product design changes on expenditures for management review, action, and control.”

Development

What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?

Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving.

Trade-offs

What does it ask of you in exchange?

4 years of education after high school (bachelor's degree), for a median of $102,440 a year and 23,100 openings nationally each year.

Paths in

Degrees that lead here

  • Industrial EngineeringSee the degree →
  • Systems EngineeringCIP 14.2701
  • Industrial EngineeringCIP 14.3501
  • Manufacturing EngineeringCIP 14.3601
  • Engineering/Industrial ManagementCIP 15.1501
  • Packaging ScienceCIP 15.1503

Paths across

Careers that use similar skills

Ask anything about this career.

“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.

Not sure this fits who you are? Start with Vocational Finder →

Sources

  1. BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  2. BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  3. O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  4. CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.