Industrial Engineers vs Industrial Engineering Technicians
Median pay is about $36k higher for Industrial Engineers. The usual entry education is bachelor's for Industrial Engineers and associate's for Industrial Engineering Technicians.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Industrial Engineers | Industrial Engineering Technicians |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $102,440, higher | $66,120 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $83,600, higher | $55,760 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $129,250, higher | $80,280 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +12% Growing fast, higher | +3.1% Growing |
| Openings a year | 23,100 | 6,600 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Bachelor's | Associate's |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.8 / 5 | 2 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | High | Moderate |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 81st pct | 39th pct |
Skills
Both lean on the same top skills: reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, critical thinking, writing, monitoring.
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.