Mechanical Engineers vs Industrial Engineers
Median pay is about $2k higher for Mechanical Engineers. Both usually start with the same education: bachelor's.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Mechanical Engineers | Industrial Engineers |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $104,110, higher | $102,440 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $84,130, higher | $83,600 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $132,590, higher | $129,250 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +11% Growing fast | +12% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 17,800 | 23,100 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Bachelor's | Bachelor's |
| Difficulty modeled | 3 / 5 | 2.8 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | High | High |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 77th pct | 81st pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Mechanical Engineers
- Mathematics
Only Industrial Engineers
- Monitoring
Both lean on critical thinking, reading comprehension, active listening, writing, speaking.
More comparisons
Compare Mechanical Engineers with
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.