How much does an industrial engineer make?
a year · about $49 an hour
A typical industrial engineer in the United States makes $102,440 a year, about $49 an hour, about 2× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They may walk a factory floor, watch people and machines make or move products, and collect timing and quality data. Then they study the numbers, talk with workers, and suggest a safer, smoother process.
Did you know? Industrial engineers don't work only in factories: in the U.S., they can design systems that help reduce hospital waiting times.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $74,370 and $159,860How do you become one?
In the U.S., study math, science, and computing in high school, then earn a bachelor's in industrial or related engineering. Entry-level jobs need no license; later, experience plus passing the FE and PE exams can qualify you for a Professional Engineer license.
School needed: Usually a bachelor's degree
Good for people who like keeping things organized and figuring things out
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., experience, a valued professional license, and complex work with more responsibility can lead to higher pay. Pay also differs by industry or employer and by location, even for similar jobs.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Washington ($129,050), lowest in South Dakota ($93,200).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $74,370 | $102,440 | $159,860 | about 366,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $129,050 | about 6,000 |
| Oregon | $128,290 | about 6,000 |
| New Mexico | $128,090 | about 1,000 |
| California | $124,600 | about 33,000 |
| Louisiana | $122,920 | about 2,000 |
Official definition: Design, develop, test, and evaluate integrated systems for managing industrial production processes, including human work factors, quality control, inventory control, logistics and material flow, cost analysis, and production coordination. Excludes “Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors” (17-2111).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/industrial-engineers.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/17-2112.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY