Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians (SOC 17-3026) earn a median $66,120 a year ($31.79 an hour) in the United States, with 75,570 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Oklahoma.
What industrial engineering technologists and technicians do
Industrial engineering technologists and technicians apply engineering principles to the layout of production lines and to the efficiency and quality of manufacturing, usually under the direction of engineering staff. Their aim is to find practical ways to produce more, waste less, and keep quality up. Typical tasks include testing selected products at specified stages of production for performance characteristics, compiling and evaluating statistical data to maintain quality and reliability, and studying the time, motion, methods, and speed of production and maintenance operations to find improvements. They read worker logs, product processing sheets, and specification sheets to verify that records and products match requirements. Some help plan work assignments according to worker performance and machine capacity, and some verify that equipment is operated and maintained to quality assurance standards. The occupation differs from industrial engineers, who design the systems and make the decisions, from quality control inspectors and testers, who sort and check finished goods, and from production planners. The SOC definition notes that time and motion studies may be used to establish standard production rates.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is some college coursework.
Also called: Additive Manufacturing Technician, Analysis Tester, Boiler Water Tester, Additive Manufacturing Production Technician, Business Process Analyst.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $22.74 | $26.81 | $31.79 | $38.59 | $47.67 | $33.99 | 75,570 |
| Annual | $47,300 | $55,760 | $66,120 | $80,280 | $99,150 | $70,700 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where industrial engineering technologists and technicians earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Oklahoma | Hourly | $24.63 | $29.41 | $38.14 | $42.74 | $50.58 | $37.06 | 750 | 0.44 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $51,230 | $61,170 | $79,330 | $88,900 | $105,210 | $77,090 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $30.05 | $30.33 | $38.03 | $47.76 | $55.43 | $40.23 | 490 | 0.18 | 0.37 |
| Annual | $62,500 | $63,090 | $79,090 | $99,330 | $115,300 | $83,670 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $24.32 | $29.95 | $38.02 | $46.38 | $50.68 | $38.76 | 5,710 | 0.31 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $50,590 | $62,290 | $79,070 | $96,460 | $105,410 | $80,610 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $24.77 | $29.72 | $37.71 | $55.87 | $63.60 | $42.47 | 1,050 | 0.30 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $51,520 | $61,810 | $78,430 | $116,210 | $132,290 | $88,330 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $26.48 | $29.49 | $36.42 | $38.45 | $47.47 | $35.35 | 910 | 0.47 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $55,090 | $61,350 | $75,760 | $79,980 | $98,730 | $73,530 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $24.32 | $29.95 | $38.02 | $46.38 | $50.68 | $38.76 | 5,710 | 0.31 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $50,590 | $62,290 | $79,070 | $96,460 | $105,410 | $80,610 | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | $23.34 | $27.21 | $31.01 | $38.55 | $47.34 | $33.24 | 5,410 | 1.23 | 2.53 |
| Annual | $48,550 | $56,600 | $64,510 | $80,190 | $98,460 | $69,140 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $24.40 | $28.97 | $33.89 | $38.65 | $46.00 | $34.65 | 5,380 | 1.82 | 3.75 |
| Annual | $50,760 | $60,270 | $70,490 | $80,390 | $95,680 | $72,070 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $23.09 | $25.80 | $31.49 | $37.31 | $41.38 | $32.75 | 5,340 | 0.96 | 1.98 |
| Annual | $48,020 | $53,660 | $65,490 | $77,600 | $86,080 | $68,110 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $21.95 | $23.56 | $29.82 | $38.50 | $49.69 | $33.79 | 5,060 | 0.36 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $45,650 | $49,010 | $62,020 | $80,070 | $103,340 | $70,290 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | Hourly | $28.22 | $35.95 | $58.33 | $67.14 | $71.53 | $52.64 | 70 | 0.42 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $58,700 | $74,770 | $121,320 | $139,640 | $148,770 | $109,490 | ||||
| Midland, TX | Hourly | $32.93 | $41.71 | $54.88 | $64.34 | $64.34 | $54.87 | 30 | 0.28 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $68,500 | $86,750 | $114,140 | $133,830 | $133,830 | $114,130 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $27.45 | $36.52 | $43.59 | $50.68 | $55.10 | $43.24 | 1,000 | 0.88 | 1.81 |
| Annual | $57,100 | $75,970 | $90,660 | $105,410 | $114,600 | $89,930 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $26.85 | $31.95 | $43.57 | $63.60 | $65.50 | $46.87 | 660 | 0.32 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $55,850 | $66,450 | $90,620 | $132,290 | $136,250 | $97,490 | ||||
| Savannah, GA | Hourly | $23.80 | $29.34 | $43.20 | $47.66 | $52.32 | $40.53 | 70 | 0.37 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $49,490 | $61,040 | $89,850 | $99,140 | $108,830 | $84,300 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $25.16 | $29.49 | $35.13 | $39.08 | $46.35 | $35.37 | 4,340 | 2.22 | 4.57 |
| Annual | $52,320 | $61,340 | $73,060 | $81,290 | $96,400 | $73,560 | ||||
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | Hourly | $23.84 | $28.39 | $36.63 | $38.74 | $48.54 | $35.00 | 2,770 | 1.46 | 3.00 |
| Annual | $49,580 | $59,060 | $76,190 | $80,580 | $100,950 | $72,800 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $20.12 | $27.41 | $31.31 | $39.92 | $49.55 | $33.55 | 1,760 | 0.74 | 1.53 |
| Annual | $41,850 | $57,000 | $65,120 | $83,040 | $103,070 | $69,770 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $25.02 | $28.95 | $35.70 | $38.98 | $45.53 | $34.80 | 1,580 | 0.58 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $52,040 | $60,210 | $74,250 | $81,070 | $94,690 | $72,370 | ||||
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | Hourly | $22.64 | $29.44 | $37.31 | $37.31 | $42.27 | $34.94 | 1,480 | 1.34 | 2.76 |
| Annual | $47,080 | $61,240 | $77,600 | $77,600 | $87,910 | $72,680 | ||||
Top industries employing industrial engineering technologists and technicians
Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing employ 8.1% of industrial engineering technologists and technicians nationally (6,130 jobs) at a median $63,550 a year ($30.55 an hour), followed by Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (7.7%) and Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (5.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing NAICS 336300 | 6,130 | 8.1% | $63,550 | $30.55 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing NAICS 334400 | 5,810 | 7.7% | $63,520 | $30.54 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing NAICS 334500 | 4,320 | 5.7% | $62,770 | $30.18 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 4,230 | 5.6% | $76,510 | $36.79 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing NAICS 326100 | 4,130 | 5.5% | $62,030 | $29.82 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (75,570). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $60,220 for industrial engineering technologists and technicians in May 2021 and $66,120 in May 2025, with employment of 62,030 and 75,570.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $60,220 | $28.95 | 62,030 |
| May 2022 | $61,210 | $29.43 | 66,560 |
| May 2023 | $62,610 | $30.10 | 73,020 |
| May 2024 | $64,790 | $31.15 | 73,410 |
| May 2025 | $66,120 | $31.79 | 75,570 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
46 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma profile | $38.14 | $79,330 | $51,230 | $105,210 | 750 | 0.44 | 0.90 |
| 2 | Maryland profile | $38.03 | $79,090 | $62,500 | $115,300 | 490 | 0.18 | 0.37 |
| 3 | California profile | $38.02 | $79,070 | $50,590 | $105,410 | 5,710 | 0.31 | 0.65 |
| 4 | Washington profile | $37.71 | $78,430 | $51,520 | $132,290 | 1,050 | 0.30 | 0.61 |
| 5 | Oregon profile | $36.42 | $75,760 | $55,090 | $98,730 | 910 | 0.47 | 0.96 |
| 6 | New Jersey profile | $35.04 | $72,890 | $46,330 | $99,800 | 920 | 0.22 | 0.44 |
| 7 | Vermont profile | $34.81 | $72,410 | $53,760 | $100,920 | 110 | 0.35 | 0.71 |
| 8 | Massachusetts profile | $34.53 | $71,830 | $49,950 | $90,970 | 2,070 | 0.57 | 1.17 |
| 9 | Illinois profile | $34.18 | $71,090 | $48,480 | $99,200 | 2,260 | 0.37 | 0.76 |
| 10 | Minnesota profile | $33.89 | $70,490 | $50,760 | $95,680 | 5,380 | 1.82 | 3.75 |
| 11 | New York profile | $33.80 | $70,290 | $48,380 | $96,840 | 4,090 | 0.42 | 0.87 |
| 12 | South Carolina profile | $33.69 | $70,080 | $46,450 | $83,860 | 2,400 | 1.04 | 2.15 |
| 13 | North Carolina profile | $33.52 | $69,720 | $48,240 | $100,920 | 1,940 | 0.39 | 0.81 |
| 14 | New Hampshire profile | $33.48 | $69,650 | $51,170 | $93,570 | 620 | 0.91 | 1.88 |
| 15 | Connecticut profile | $33.30 | $69,260 | $51,560 | $102,620 | 670 | 0.39 | 0.81 |
| 16 | Utah profile | $32.45 | $67,490 | $50,450 | $100,730 | 1,400 | 0.81 | 1.67 |
| 17 | Colorado profile | $32.14 | $66,850 | $50,580 | $100,370 | 930 | 0.32 | 0.66 |
| 18 | Alabama profile | $31.97 | $66,510 | $44,950 | $98,940 | 1,010 | 0.48 | 0.98 |
| 19 | Virginia profile | $31.88 | $66,310 | $49,100 | $98,630 | 1,270 | 0.31 | 0.64 |
| 20 | Arizona profile | $31.75 | $66,040 | $41,850 | $101,730 | 2,080 | 0.64 | 1.32 |
| 21 | Ohio profile | $31.49 | $65,490 | $48,020 | $86,080 | 5,340 | 0.96 | 1.98 |
| 22 | Wisconsin profile | $31.38 | $65,270 | $47,070 | $82,990 | 2,660 | 0.91 | 1.86 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania profile | $31.38 | $65,260 | $46,440 | $98,230 | 1,790 | 0.30 | 0.61 |
| 24 | Georgia profile | $31.28 | $65,060 | $47,520 | $96,100 | 1,840 | 0.38 | 0.78 |
| 25 | Michigan profile | $31.01 | $64,510 | $48,550 | $98,460 | 5,410 | 1.23 | 2.53 |
| 26 | Iowa profile | $30.97 | $64,410 | $51,550 | $86,390 | 710 | 0.45 | 0.93 |
| 27 | North Dakota profile | $30.80 | $64,060 | $46,710 | $82,500 | 100 | 0.24 | 0.50 |
| 28 | Idaho profile | $30.36 | $63,150 | $48,630 | $103,670 | 300 | 0.35 | 0.73 |
| 29 | Indiana profile | $30.34 | $63,110 | $40,930 | $82,160 | 2,560 | 0.80 | 1.65 |
| 30 | Maine profile | $30.32 | $63,070 | $41,600 | $94,370 | 310 | 0.48 | 0.98 |
| 31 | Missouri profile | $30.02 | $62,440 | $44,560 | $104,300 | 1,220 | 0.42 | 0.86 |
| 32 | Arkansas profile | $29.91 | $62,210 | $49,260 | $140,540 | 330 | 0.25 | 0.51 |
| 33 | Texas profile | $29.82 | $62,020 | $45,650 | $103,340 | 5,060 | 0.36 | 0.74 |
| 34 | Nevada profile | $29.55 | $61,470 | $53,710 | $80,690 | 990 | 0.64 | 1.31 |
| 35 | Florida profile | $29.49 | $61,350 | $38,690 | $91,980 | 3,110 | 0.31 | 0.64 |
| 36 | New Mexico profile | $29.46 | $61,280 | $51,340 | $103,370 | 480 | 0.55 | 1.13 |
| 37 | Kentucky profile | $29.40 | $61,140 | $44,600 | $84,320 | 1,330 | 0.66 | 1.36 |
| 38 | Kansas profile | $29.33 | $61,000 | $39,300 | $82,250 | 570 | 0.40 | 0.82 |
| 39 | Montana profile | $29.01 | $60,330 | $50,140 | $119,640 | 90 | 0.18 | 0.37 |
| 40 | Nebraska profile | $28.83 | $59,970 | $49,240 | $82,370 | 240 | 0.24 | 0.49 |
| 41 | Rhode Island profile | $28.57 | $59,420 | $47,790 | $83,660 | 170 | 0.35 | 0.71 |
| 42 | Tennessee profile | $27.92 | $58,070 | $43,990 | $82,430 | 2,650 | 0.81 | 1.66 |
| 43 | West Virginia profile | $27.52 | $57,240 | $35,920 | $95,920 | 140 | 0.20 | 0.42 |
| 44 | South Dakota profile | $26.24 | $54,570 | $42,890 | $80,990 | 310 | 0.68 | 1.40 |
| 45 | Mississippi profile | $24.13 | $50,180 | $40,220 | $82,010 | ** | ** | ** |
| – | Louisiana profile | * | * | * | * | 820 | 0.42 | 0.87 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (17-3020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Architecture and Engineering Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 17-3026 Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 17-3026, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 17-3026.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.