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Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Apply engineering theory and principles to problems of industrial layout or manufacturing production, usually under the direction of engineering staff. May perform time and motion studies on worker operations in a variety of industries for purposes such as establishing standard production rates or improving efficiency.
Other titles employers use
Business Process Analyst · Engineering Technician · Industrial Engineering Analyst · Industrial Engineering Technician · Manufacturing Coordinator · Manufacturing Technology Analyst · Quality Control Engineering Technician (QC Engineering Technician) · Quality Management Coordinator
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Test selected products at specified stages in the production process for performance characteristics or adherence to specifications.
- Compile and evaluate statistical data to determine and maintain quality and reliability of products.
- Study time, motion, methods, or speed involved in maintenance, production, or other operations to establish standard production rate or improve efficiency.
- Read worker logs, product processing sheets, or specification sheets to verify that records adhere to quality assurance specifications.
- Verify that equipment is being operated and maintained according to quality assurance standards by observing worker performance.
- Aid in planning work assignments in accordance with worker performance, machine capacity, production schedules, or anticipated delays.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical, organizing and analytical work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Monitoring
- Speaking
Subjects to know
- Mechanical
- Engineering and Technology
- Production and Processing
- Mathematics
- Design
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Written Comprehension
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.1 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 3.1 | Up and down through the day |
| Talking face to face | 4.7 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 3.1 | Some of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for an associate degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A certificate or some college 38%
- A two-year degree 25%
- High school or less 22%
- A four-year degree 15%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Development environment software
- Analytical or scientific software
- Operating system software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Electronic mail software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Object or component oriented development software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 5,230
- Job openings each year
- 470
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- —
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 5,230 | 470 | — |
| Michigan | 5,210 | 470 | 1.6% |
| Minnesota | 5,180 | 490 | 8.1% |
| Texas | 4,760 | 460 | 15.8% |
| California | 4,600 | 430 | 7.0% |
| Illinois | 3,130 | 290 | 4.0% |
| New York | 3,110 | 0 | — |
| Tennessee | 2,700 | 270 | 17.9% |
| Oregon | 2,620 | 250 | 7.8% |
| Indiana | 2,470 | 230 | 5.6% |
| Florida | 2,460 | 240 | 12.3% |
| Wisconsin | 2,280 | 210 | 7.5% |
| Arizona | 2,260 | 220 | 11.9% |
| South Carolina | 2,180 | 210 | 13.5% |
| North Carolina | 2,160 | 200 | 9.1% |
| Puerto Rico | 2,080 | 200 | 10.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 2,070 | 190 | 3.5% |
| Georgia | 1,740 | 160 | 8.8% |
| Utah | 1,450 | 150 | 19.8% |
| Missouri | 1,440 | 140 | 12.5% |
| Kentucky | 1,390 | 130 | 7.8% |
| Connecticut | 1,180 | 110 | 3.5% |
| Virginia | 1,170 | 110 | 7.3% |
| Iowa | 1,000 | 90 | 8.7% |
| Washington | 1,000 | 100 | 5.3% |
| Alabama | 980 | 90 | 12.6% |
| New Jersey | 920 | 90 | 7.0% |
| Massachusetts | 890 | 80 | 1.1% |
| Oklahoma | 830 | 80 | 2.5% |
| Colorado | 820 | 80 | 6.5% |
| Nevada | 700 | 70 | 22.8% |
| Louisiana | 610 | 60 | 17.3% |
| New Hampshire | 570 | 50 | 7.5% |
| Maryland | 510 | 50 | 4.1% |
| Kansas | 380 | 40 | 8.6% |
| Arkansas | 370 | 40 | 5.7% |
| Mississippi | 300 | 30 | 11.1% |
| South Dakota | 240 | 20 | 9.1% |
| Maine | 190 | 20 | — |
| Idaho | 180 | 20 | 20.0% |
| Rhode Island | 180 | 20 | 12.5% |
| West Virginia | 150 | 10 | 25.0% |
| Nebraska | 130 | 10 | — |
| North Dakota | 90 | 10 | 12.5% |
| Delaware | 70 | 10 | 16.7% |
| Alaska | 50 | 10 | 25.0% |
| Wyoming | 20 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
East Carolina University
- Degrees each year
- 217
- Admit rate
- 90%
- Annual cost after aid
- $15,000
Purdue University-Main Campus
- Degrees each year
- 189
- Admit rate
- 50%
- Annual cost after aid
- $9,000
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
- Degrees each year
- 176
- Admit rate
- 75%
- Annual cost after aid
- $17,000
Michigan State University
- Degrees each year
- 160
- Admit rate
- 84%
- Annual cost after aid
- $17,000
Texas A & M University-College Station
- Degrees each year
- 104
- Admit rate
- 63%
- Annual cost after aid
- $17,000
Ferris State University
- Degrees each year
- 86
- Admit rate
- 81%
- Annual cost after aid
- $8,000
Mississippi State University
- Degrees each year
- 76
- Admit rate
- 76%
- Annual cost after aid
- $19,000
Eastern Kentucky University
- Degrees each year
- 112
- Admit rate
- 78%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Compare every college offering industrial production technologies/technicians