Occupations · Architecture and Engineering
Industrial Engineers
Design, develop, test, and evaluate integrated systems for managing industrial production processes, including human work factors, quality control, inventory control, logistics and material flow, cost analysis, and production coordination.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 17-2112.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 61% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $100,940 | 17,080 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $102,440 | 14,250 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $100,940 | 10,640 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $105,070 | 10,150 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $108,300 | 8,900 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $109,960 | 8,450 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $116,170 | 8,210 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $107,000 | 7,910 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $101,040 | 5,900 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $126,530 | 5,440 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | $110,100 | 5,400 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $126,310 | 5,350 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- 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.
- Evaluate precision and accuracy of production and testing equipment and engineering drawings to formulate corrective action plan.
- Recommend methods for improving utilization of personnel, material, and utilities.
- Record or oversee recording of information to ensure currency of engineering drawings and documentation of production problems.
- Draft and design layout of equipment, materials, and workspace to illustrate maximum efficiency using drafting tools and computer.
- Direct workers engaged in product measurement, inspection, and testing activities to ensure quality control and reliability.
- Develop manufacturing methods, labor utilization standards, and cost analysis systems to promote efficient staff and facility utilization.
- Review production schedules, engineering specifications, orders, and related information to obtain knowledge of manufacturing methods, procedures, and activities.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2020-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2020-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 10 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 18
No longer listed 8
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| process engineer | 2141.9 | close |
| design engineer | 2149.2.4 | close |
| manufacturing engineer | 2141.3.1 | close |
| calculation engineer | 2149.2.1 | close |
| industrial tool design engineer | 2144.1.9 | broader |
| industrial engineer | 2141.3 | broader |
| production engineer | 2141.3.2 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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