Industrial Engineers
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.
365,740 people do this job in the US. $102,440 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 95%
- 2%
- 3%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 9%. Today's estimate: 16%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 20 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan and establish sequence of operations to fabricate and assemble parts or products and to promote efficient utilization.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 16% | 1 work day2.5 h to 2.1 work days | 6%Half by Aug 2027 | |
| Recommend methods for improving utilization of personnel, material, and utilities.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 12% | 6.7 h1.7 h to 1.7 work days | 9%Half by Jul 2027 | |
| Develop manufacturing methods, labor utilization standards, and cost analysis systems to promote efficient staff and facility utilization.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 12% | 1.7 work days4.2 h to 1 work week | 2%Half by Feb 2028 | |
| Draft and design layout of equipment, materials, and workspace to illustrate maximum efficiency using drafting tools and computer.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 9% | 1 work day3.3 h to 2.5 work days | 5%Half by Jul 2027 | |
| Analyze statistical data and product specifications to determine standards and establish quality and reliability objectives of finished product.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 8% | 6.7 h2.5 h to 2.5 work days | 9%Half by Jul 2027 | |
| Estimate production costs, cost saving methods, and the effects of product design changes on expenditures for management review, action, and control.Done daily by most who do it. | 6% | 5 h1.7 h to 1.7 work days | 17%Half by Apr 2027 | |
| Evaluate precision and accuracy of production and testing equipment and engineering drawings to formulate corrective action plan.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 6% | 5 h2.5 h to 1.7 work days | 20%Half by Feb 2027 | |
| Communicate with management and user personnel to develop production and design standards.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 5% | 3.3 h1.7 h to 6.7 h | 49%Half by now | |
| Coordinate and implement quality control objectives, activities, or procedures to resolve production problems, maximize product reliability, or minimize costs.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 4% | 6.7 h2.5 h to 3.3 work days | 9%Half by Sep 2027 | |
| Implement methods and procedures for disposition of discrepant material and defective or damaged parts, and assess cost and responsibility.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 3% | 3.3 h1.7 h to 6.7 h | 49%Half by now | |
| Direct workers engaged in product measurement, inspection, and testing activities to ensure quality control and reliability.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 3% | 1.7 h38 min to 5 h | Stays with people | |
| Apply statistical methods and perform mathematical calculations to determine manufacturing processes, staff requirements, and production standards.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 3% | 5 h1.7 h to 2.1 work days | 15%Half by Jun 2027 |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing25,680 people
- Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services25,420 people
- Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing20,060 people
- Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)18,200 people
- Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing17,250 people
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).