Industrial Engineer

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Work Tasks

INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERS find the best ways for a company to use people, machines, materials, information, and energy to make or process a product. They are concerned with increasing productivity through the management of people and methods. They conduct long-range organization studies, plant location surveys, and system effectiveness studies. They choose operating processes and methods to accomplish tasks. They design production planning and control systems to control product quality. They develop and install wage incentive systems, job evaluation, and other such systems. They also improve plant environment and the quality of people's working life.

Salary, Size & Growth

• $79,000 average per year ($38.00 per hour)
• A large occupation (203,000 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow moderately (1.4% per year)

Entry Requirements

A bachelor's degree in engineering is usually required for beginning INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERS. Graduate training is essential for faculty positions and many research and development programs. Admission requirements for undergraduate engineering schools include a solid background in math, and science, and courses in English, social studies, humanities, and computers. Registration requirements include a degree from an accredited engineering program, four years of relevant work experience, and a passing grade on two national examinations.