Fools wait for a lucky day
but every day is lucky
for an industrious man.
- Buddha
Industrial Engineering
Need Help?
Try these top introductory courses from our education partners:
Industrial Engineering
Industrial engineering is the category of engineering which is concerned with the design, operation and optimization of industrial processes. An industrial engineer will pursue various means in order to eliminate wastefulness in production processes. They discover methods to use machines, workers, materials, energy and information, along with core engineering principles to improve the quality and productivity of systems, physical and social.
Industrial Engineers study and evaluate the most efficient ways to use workers, machines, materials and energy to produce a product.
Typical Study Modules
College courses consist of a variety of modules aligned to teach students how to design systems that enable businesses to improve efficiency in the workplace, whilst simultaneously improving quality and productivity. Often those with bachelor's degrees in industrial engineering will choose to specialise. For example, 'Cost Engineering', 'Systems Analysis', 'Production and Manufacturing Systems' are amongst some of the more popular master's degrees.
Here are some of the key topics to be studied:
Career Types
Engineering fields tend to be highly sought after, and industrial engineering is no different. An industrial engineer can work in all types of environments, from office settings to hospitals to factories. An industrial engineer is placed in a setting to observe and then improve. Often industrial engineers will be recruited into the likes of consulting and engineering, research and development, service industries, logistics, manufacturing and trade. Here are several occupations an industrial engineer could pursue:
- Industrial Engineer
- Occupational Health and Safety Manager
- Industrial Designer
- Quality Engineer
- Energy Engineer
- Industrial Mechanic
Salary Levels
In 2021, the median pay for an industrial engineer in America was $95,300. This figure is above the national median pay. A similar occupation, in Industrial Production Managers, has a slightly higher median pay at $103,150. However, Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians median pay is significantly lower at $60,220 however the entry-level education for this role is an Associate's degree.
Who and What To Follow!
Societies, publications, and even social media can be a great resource for further info. Check out some of these links below: