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Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipModerate pressure

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

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

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 $66,120 Median per year · $31.79/hr Most earn $47,300–$99,150

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Provide advice or training to other technicians.
  • Compile and evaluate statistical data to determine and maintain quality and reliability of products.
  • Monitor and adjust production processes or equipment for quality and productivity.
  • Calibrate or adjust equipment to ensure quality production, using tools such as calipers, micrometers, height gauges, protractors, or ring gauges.
  • Evaluate industrial operations for compliance with permits or regulations related to the generation, storage, treatment, transportation, or disposal of hazardous materials or waste.
  • Prepare production documents, such as standard operating procedures, manufacturing batch records, inventory reports, or productivity reports.

Job outlook

United States
3% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 6,600 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

  • Motor vehicle parts manufacturing7.8%
  • Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing7.5%
  • Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing5.6%
  • Plastics product manufacturing5.4%
  • Machinery manufacturing5.0%

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

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

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

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians usually enter through a certificate or apprenticeship and then build 2 to 4 years of hands-on work experience before reaching this role. It is a realistic career to start working toward right after training, with the full role typically reached after several years in production or manufacturing settings.

  1. High school diploma with strong math and technical classes

    4 years

    Math, physics, drafting, and shop classes build the skills you need for a technical certificate program later.

  2. Certificate or apprenticeship in industrial engineering technology or manufacturing technology

    1-2 years

    Training in time studies, layout, quality control, and production processes gives you the core knowledge employers look for.

  3. Production Technician

    2-4 years

    Working on the production floor shows you how processes really run, which is the experience needed to analyze and improve them.

  4. Industrial Engineering Technologist and Technician

    Ongoing

    You apply engineering principles to plant layout and production, often under engineers' direction, and run time and motion studies to set standard rates.

Where it can lead

  1. Industrial Engineer

    2-4 years of experience first

    Moving up typically means earning a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering and taking on more responsibility for designing and improving whole systems rather than carrying out studies.

  2. Manufacturing Engineer

    1-2 years of experience first

    This role focuses on designing and improving manufacturing processes and usually requires a bachelor's degree in engineering, along with the hands-on experience you already gained as a technician.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and physicsAlgebra, geometry, and physics build the problem-solving skills used when measuring and improving production processes.
  • Take drafting, shop, or CAD classesReading technical drawings and working with tools shows you how products and production lines are designed and built.
  • Join a robotics, engineering, or technology clubTeam projects teach you how to test ideas, track results, and work with others, which mirrors real industrial work.
  • Get a starter job at a grocery, warehouse, or retail storeWorking in a fast-paced setting helps you see how workflow, scheduling, and efficiency affect results.
  • Volunteer with a local makerspace or repair shopHands-on building and fixing gives you practical experience with tools and equipment before you need them on the job.

In college

  • Enroll in an industrial or manufacturing technology programA certificate or associate program teaches time studies, quality control, and plant layout, which are the core skills of this career.
  • Take statistics and basic computer-aided design coursesStatistics helps you analyze production data, and design software is used to plan workspaces and processes.
  • Pursue an internship at a manufacturing plantA summer or part-time internship lets you practice time studies and see how production lines actually run.
  • Find a campus job in a lab, machine shop, or makerspaceWorking with equipment and taking on hands-on projects builds practical experience employers value.
  • Join a student engineering or technology organizationClubs and student chapters offer networking, competitions, and contacts with local employers who hire technicians.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a teacher, counselor, or local employer whether there are shop tours or job shadow days at nearby factories, so you can see what this work looks like day to day.
  • Learn basic spreadsheet skills and get comfortable with measuring and recording data, since time studies and efficiency reports rely on both.
  • Look up community colleges or technical schools near you that offer industrial or manufacturing technology certificates, and check whether they have apprenticeship links with local companies.

Related jobs that often lead here

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

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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