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Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeModerate pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Design objects, facilities, and environments to optimize human well-being and overall system performance, applying theory, principles, and data regarding the relationship between humans and respective technology. Investigate and analyze characteristics of human behavior and performance as it relates to the use of technology.

Kinds of work

  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $102,440 Median per year · $49.25/hr Most earn $74,370–$159,860

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Write, review, or comment on documents, such as proposals, test plans, or procedures.
  • Design or evaluate human work systems, using human factors engineering and ergonomic principles to optimize usability, cost, quality, safety, or performance.
  • Train users in task techniques or ergonomic principles.
  • Develop or implement research methodologies or statistical analysis plans to test and evaluate developmental prototypes used in new products or processes, such as cockpit designs, user workstations, or computerized human models.
  • Perform functional, task, or anthropometric analysis, using tools, such as checklists, surveys, videotaping, or force measurement.
  • Design cognitive aids, such as procedural storyboards or decision support systems.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
12% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 23,100 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Aerospace product and parts manufacturing7.1%
  • Engineering services5.8%
  • Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing5.5%
  • Machinery manufacturing5.0%
  • Fabricated metal product manufacturing4.6%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Human Factors Engineering is not usually an entry-level job. Most people earn a bachelor's degree and then spend about 1 to 2 years in a related job before moving into this role.

  1. Bachelor's degree in human factors, psychology, industrial engineering, or a related field

    4 years

    You learn how people think, perceive, and act, plus research methods and statistics. These skills are the foundation for studying how people use products and workplaces.

  2. Manufacturing Engineer

    1-2 years

    You work on how people, machines, and processes fit together on the job, which gives you real experience with workplace design and efficiency before you specialize.

  3. Human Factors Engineer

    You design and test products, systems, and workspaces so they are safe, easy to use, and efficient for the people who use them.

Where it can lead

  1. Senior Human Factors Engineer

    3-5 years of experience first

    You lead research projects, mentor junior engineers, and set the testing approach for bigger products or systems. Strong communication and a track record of successful projects help you move up.

  2. Industrial Engineer

    2-4 years of experience first

    You shift focus toward improving whole production systems, costs, and workflows, which builds on the people-and-systems work you already know. A bachelor's degree in engineering is typically expected.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take psychology, statistics, or AP-level scienceThese classes build the research and human-behavior knowledge that human factors work depends on.
  • Join a robotics, engineering, or design clubWorking in a team to build or improve something shows you how design choices affect the people who use it.
  • Get a part-time job at a store, restaurant, or warehouseWatching how people move, use equipment, and handle tasks gives you a real feel for how workplaces can be designed better.
  • Volunteer with a community or school groupHelping others use a tool, app, or service teaches you to notice where people struggle and why.

In college

  • Major in human factors, psychology, or industrial engineeringThese majors cover the human-technology relationship directly and are the most common routes into this field.
  • Work as a research assistant in a psychology or engineering labYou gain experience designing studies, collecting data, and working with real participants.
  • Look for an internship in UX, product testing, or workplace safetyHands-on work with users or safety teams gives you experience that employers look for when hiring for entry-level roles.
  • Take a campus job that involves people and technology, such as an IT help deskHelping users solve problems shows you where technology confuses people, which is the core of human factors work.
  • Join a student chapter of an engineering or human factors society, if your school has oneChapters often offer networking, guest speakers, and project opportunities that help you learn the field.

Tips for getting started

  • Take statistics and research methods early. Analyzing data from user tests is a big part of this job, and these classes are often required in psychology and engineering programs.
  • Get hands-on experience with real users. Volunteering to help test a product, app, or classroom tool, even informally, gives you examples to talk about in job interviews.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

  • Industrial Engineering Bachelor's degree: typical pay 1 year after finishing $77,946 a year · typical debt $20,824
  • Engineering-Related Fields Bachelor's degree: typical pay 1 year after finishing $75,934 a year · typical debt $23,250
  • Systems Engineering Bachelor's degree: typical pay 1 year after finishing $78,987 a year · typical debt $19,500
  • Manufacturing Engineering Bachelor's degree: typical pay 1 year after finishing $76,612 a year · typical debt $19,823

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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