Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Summary

Industrial engineering technicians collect data to assist in process improvement activities.

Quick Facts: Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians
2023 Median Pay	$62,610 per year $30.10 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education	Associate's degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	None
Number of Jobs, 2022	69,100
Job Outlook, 2022-32	3% (As fast as average)
Employment Change, 2022-32	2,200

What Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians Do

Industrial engineering technologists and technicians help engineers solve problems affecting manufacturing layout or production.

Work Environment

Most industrial engineering technologists and technicians work in manufacturing industries. Most work full time.

How to Become an Industrial Engineering Technologist or Technician

Industrial engineering technologists and technicians typically need an associate’s degree or a postsecondary certificate to enter the occupation. Community colleges or technical institutes typically offer associate’s degree programs, and vocational–technical schools offer certificate programs.

Pay

The median annual wage for industrial engineering technologists and technicians was $62,610 in May 2023.

Job Outlook

Employment of industrial engineering technologists and technicians is projected to grow 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 6,500 openings for industrial engineering technologists and technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

State & Area Data

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Similar Occupations

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More Information, Including Links to O*NET

Learn more about industrial engineering technologists and technicians by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

What Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians Do

Industrial engineering technologists and technicians interpret schematic diagrams and formulas.

Industrial engineering technologists and technicians help engineers solve problems affecting manufacturing layout or production. They prepare machinery and equipment plans, design workflows, conduct statistical production studies, and analyze production costs.

Duties

Industrial engineering technologists and technicians typically do the following:

• Suggest revisions to operation methods, material handling, or equipment layout
• Interpret engineering drawings, schematic diagrams, and formulas
• Confer with management or engineering staff on quality and reliability standards
• Help plan work assignments, considering factors such as machine capabilities and production schedules
• Prepare charts, diagrams, and other graphs to illustrate workflow, routing, floor layouts, how materials are handled, and how machines are used
• Collect data to assist in process improvement activities

Industrial engineering technologists and technicians study the time and steps workers take to do a task (time and motion studies). To set reasonable production rates, they analyze operations such as maintenance, production, and service.

The work of industrial engineering technologists and technicians is versatile and applicable to a variety of projects. For example, in supply chain management, they help businesses minimize inventory costs; in quality assurance, they help with customer satisfaction; and in project management, they help to control costs and maximize efficiencies.

Industrial engineering technologists and technicians generally work on teams under the supervision of industrial engineers.

Manufacturing engineering technologists and technicians work to raise production quality and profitability. By planning, testing, and custom making industrial products, they help engineers improve manufacturing processes and output. They may assess prototypes, analyze machinery performance, or try new production methods.

Work Environment

Industrial engineering technologists and technicians help carry out studies and make observations to assist industrial engineers.

Industrial engineering technologists and technicians held about 69,100 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of industrial engineering technologists and technicians were as follows:

Industrial engineers usually ask industrial engineering technologists and technicians to help carry out studies and draw conclusions. Consequently, these technologists and technicians typically work at the location where products are manufactured or services are provided.

Work Schedules

Industrial engineering technologists and technicians usually work a standard schedule. Most work full time.

How to Become an Industrial Engineering Technologist or Technician

Becoming an industrial engineering technologist or technician usually requires either an associate’s degree or a postsecondary certificate to enter the occupation.

Industrial engineering technologists and technicians typically need an associate’s degree or a postsecondary certificate to enter the occupation. Community colleges and technical institutes generally offer associate’s degree programs, and vocational–technical schools offer certificate programs.

Education

High school students interested in becoming industrial engineering technologists and technicians should take courses in math, science, and drafting, where available.

Postsecondary programs in industrial engineering technology are offered at vocational–technical schools, technical institutes, and community colleges. Vocational–technical schools typically award a certificate. Community colleges programs usually lead to associate’s degrees.

Employers may prefer to hire candidates who have completed an engineering or engineering technology program accredited by ABET.

Industrial engineering technologists and technicians may choose to major in applied science, industrial technology, or industrial engineering technology. These programs may include instruction in computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing software, known as CAD/CAM.

Important Qualities

Analytical skills. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians assess changes in conditions, operations, and the environment to help industrial engineers figure out how systems should work.

Communication skills. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians must listen carefully to instructions from engineers and must clearly articulate problems to their supervisors.

Critical-thinking skills. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians must identify and correct weaknesses to help industrial engineers solve problems.

Detail oriented. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians must record precisely what they measure and observe.

Math skills. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians use mathematics and statistical techniques to analyze data collected from studies.

Observational skills. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians closely watch the performance of people or organizations so that they can suggest improvements.

Pay

The median annual wage for industrial engineering technologists and technicians was $62,610 in May 2023. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $44,950, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $94,540.

In May 2023, the median annual wages for industrial engineering technologists and technicians in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Industrial engineering technologists and technicians usually work standard schedules. Most work full time.

Job Outlook

Employment of industrial engineering technologists and technicians is projected to grow 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 6,500 openings for industrial engineering technologists and technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

An emphasis on cost control through increased efficiency, along with industrial engineering technologists and technicians' role in assisting with automation, is expected to sustain demand for these workers.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about industrial engineering, visit

Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers

For more information about manufacturing engineering, visit

Society of Manufacturing Engineers

For information on general engineering education and career resources, visit

American Society for Engineering Education

For more information about accredited programs, visit

ABET

O*NET

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