Manufacturing Engineers
Design, integrate, or improve manufacturing systems or related processes. May work with commercial or industrial designers to refine product designs to increase producibility and decrease costs.
- O*NET-SOC code
17-2112.03 - Preparation Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Wages
BLS doesn't publish wages for Manufacturing Engineers separately. These are the figures for Industrial Engineers (17-2112), its parent occupation.
Median annual wage, U.S.$102,440
Employment, U.S.365,740
Median hourly wage$49.25
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $74,370 | $83,600 | $102,440 | $129,250 | $159,860 |
By state (51)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 7,650 | $99,880 | 1.54 |
| Alaska | 220 | $156,510 | 0.28 |
| Arizona | 7,520 | $108,280 | 0.99 |
| Arkansas | 1,710 | $98,410 | 0.56 |
| California | 32,680 | $124,600 | 0.76 |
| Colorado | 5,200 | $109,750 | 0.77 |
| Connecticut | 6,020 | $104,160 | 1.51 |
| Delaware | 820 | $120,190 | 0.72 |
| District of Columbia | 160 | $103,300 | 0.10 |
| Florida | 14,050 | $101,610 | 0.60 |
| Georgia | 8,940 | $100,100 | 0.78 |
| Hawaii | 50 | $123,800 | 0.04 |
| Idaho | 1,330 | $100,840 | 0.66 |
| Illinois | 18,640 | $100,540 | 1.30 |
| Indiana | 11,680 | $97,480 | 1.55 |
| Iowa | 3,600 | $97,690 | 0.98 |
| Kansas | 3,450 | $99,830 | 1.02 |
| Kentucky | 6,070 | $96,820 | 1.29 |
| Louisiana | 1,710 | $122,920 | 0.38 |
| Maine | 1,030 | $101,030 | 0.68 |
| Maryland | 3,900 | $119,930 | 0.60 |
| Massachusetts | 11,470 | $109,420 | 1.34 |
| Michigan | 30,990 | $101,680 | 2.99 |
| Minnesota | 17,580 | $102,660 | 2.53 |
| Mississippi | 2,450 | $95,830 | 0.90 |
| Missouri | 5,070 | $99,290 | 0.73 |
| Montana | 390 | $104,430 | 0.33 |
| Nebraska | 1,160 | $98,170 | 0.48 |
| Nevada | 1,570 | $102,090 | 0.43 |
| New Hampshire | 1,940 | $101,310 | 1.21 |
| New Jersey | 6,870 | $103,840 | 0.68 |
| New Mexico | 1,140 | $128,090 | 0.56 |
| New York | 11,810 | $102,640 | 0.52 |
| North Carolina | 11,580 | $99,310 | 1.00 |
| North Dakota | 600 | $96,940 | 0.59 |
| Ohio | 23,480 | $100,060 | 1.80 |
| Oklahoma | 2,170 | $97,510 | 0.54 |
| Oregon | 5,810 | $128,290 | 1.26 |
| Pennsylvania | 13,180 | $99,560 | 0.92 |
| Rhode Island | 990 | $109,350 | 0.84 |
| South Carolina | 7,960 | $101,060 | 1.47 |
| South Dakota | 830 | $93,200 | 0.77 |
| Tennessee | 7,440 | $99,080 | 0.96 |
| Texas | 30,980 | $104,560 | 0.94 |
| Utah | 5,520 | $103,940 | 1.35 |
| Vermont | 440 | $103,010 | 0.62 |
| Virginia | 5,580 | $102,550 | 0.58 |
| Washington | 6,130 | $129,050 | 0.73 |
| West Virginia | 850 | $108,360 | 0.51 |
| Wisconsin | 13,070 | $96,980 | 1.89 |
| Wyoming | 240 | $122,070 | 0.36 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians | 3 | 0.979 |
| 2 | Robotics Engineers | 4 | 0.977 |
| 3 | Mechanical Engineers | 4 | 0.975 |
| 4 | Mechatronics Engineers | 4 | 0.971 |
| 5 | Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians | 3 | 0.967 |
| 6 | Fuel Cell Engineers | 4 | 0.967 |
| 7 | Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | 4 | 0.964 |
| 8 | Marine Engineers and Naval Architects | 4 | 0.963 |
| 9 | Automotive Engineers | 4 | 0.963 |
| 10 | Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers | 4 | 0.962 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Manufacturing Engineers, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robotics Engineers | Programming | 1.38 | 0.977 |
| Materials Engineers | Science | 1.13 | 0.956 |
| Nuclear Engineers | Critical Thinking | 0.88 | 0.952 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | Negotiation | 0.76 | 0.942 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Manufacturing Engineers, excluding software Manufacturing Engineers already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| C++ | 16 of 20 | 6.7x |
| Python | 15 of 20 | 5.2x |
| Finite element method FEM software | 7 of 20 | 29.4x |
| Ansys Fluent | 6 of 20 | 34.6x |
| Data acquisition software | 6 of 20 | 27.7x |
| MathWorks Simulink | 7 of 20 | 17.0x |
| Simulation software | 6 of 20 | 21.3x |
| Very high-speed integrated circuit VHSIC hardware description language VHDL | 5 of 20 | 38.5x |
| Rapid prototyping software | 5 of 20 | 28.8x |
| Bentley MicroStation | 8 of 20 | 7.7x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 4.00 | 4.75 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 4.00 | 4.50 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 4.00 | 4.25 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 3.88 | 4.62 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.88 | 4.62 |
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 3.88 | 4.12 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 3.88 | 4.12 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 3.75 | 4.62 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 3.75 | 4.50 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 3.75 | 4.38 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.75 | 4.00 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 3.62 | 4.50 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 3.62 | 4.00 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 3.50 | 3.88 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 3.50 | 3.62 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 3.25 | 3.88 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 3.25 | 3.88 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 3.25 | 3.88 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.75 |
| Science | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.75 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.62 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.62 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.50 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.50 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 3.88 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 3.62 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 3.62 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 3.25 |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 3.12 |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 3.00 |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 3.00 |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 2.50 |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering and Technology | 4.42 | 5.35 |
| Production and Processing | 4.42 | 4.92 |
| Mechanical | 4.08 | 5.15 |
| Design | 4.00 | 4.92 |
| Mathematics | 3.96 | 5.12 |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.81 | 4.73 |
| English Language | 3.77 | 4.38 |
| Physics | 3.42 | 4.35 |
| Administration and Management | 3.23 | 4.35 |
| Education and Training | 3.15 | 4.27 |
| Public Safety and Security | 2.85 | 3.42 |
| Administrative | 2.77 | 3.73 |
| Law and Government | 2.76 | 3.08 |
| Economics and Accounting | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Chemistry | 2.58 | 3.27 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 2.54 | 2.85 |
| Transportation | 2.50 | 3.08 |
| Building and Construction | 2.48 | 3.00 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 2.38 | 3.27 |
| Psychology | 2.25 | 2.80 |
| Communications and Media | 2.24 | 2.58 |
| Sales and Marketing | 2.08 | 2.62 |
| Telecommunications | 2.04 | 1.85 |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.62 | 1.62 |
| Biology | 1.60 | 1.60 |
| Geography | 1.60 | 1.56 |
| Foreign Language | 1.54 | 1.46 |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.54 | 1.23 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.44 | 1.20 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1.36 | not rated |
| Food Production | 1.27 | not rated |
| History and Archeology | 1.15 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.00 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Deductive Reasoning | 4.00 | 4.88 |
| Oral Comprehension | 4.00 | 4.88 |
| Category Flexibility | 4.00 | 4.38 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 4.00 | 4.38 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 4.00 | 4.38 |
| Visualization | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Near Vision | 4.00 | 3.88 |
| Written Comprehension | 3.88 | 4.88 |
| Oral Expression | 3.88 | 4.75 |
| Information Ordering | 3.88 | 4.12 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 3.75 | 4.62 |
| Number Facility | 3.75 | 4.50 |
| Written Expression | 3.62 | 4.38 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 3.62 | 4.12 |
| Originality | 3.62 | 4.12 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.62 | 4.00 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.50 | 3.62 |
| Far Vision | 3.25 | 3.75 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.25 | 3.62 |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.12 | 3.75 |
| Selective Attention | 3.12 | 3.75 |
| Speed of Closure | 3.00 | 3.62 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 2.88 | 3.38 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Memorization | 2.75 | 3.12 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Depth Perception | 2.62 | 2.50 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 2.50 | 2.50 |
| Control Precision | 2.50 | 2.50 |
| Time Sharing | 2.50 | 2.50 |
| Finger Dexterity | 2.50 | 2.38 |
| Manual Dexterity | 2.38 | 2.25 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 2.38 | 2.25 |
| Reaction Time | 2.12 | 2.50 |
| Trunk Strength | 2.12 | 2.25 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Static Strength | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Extent Flexibility | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Rate Control | 2.00 | 1.38 |
| Stamina | 2.00 | 1.12 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 1.88 | 1.38 |
| Dynamic Strength | 1.88 | 1.25 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 1.88 | 0.88 |
| Response Orientation | 1.75 | 1.50 |
| Spatial Orientation | 1.75 | 1.00 |
| Explosive Strength | 1.38 | 0.62 |
| Sound Localization | 1.25 | not rated |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.12 | not rated |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.00 | not rated |
| Glare Sensitivity | 1.00 | not rated |
| Night Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
| Peripheral Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Autodesk AutoCAD in demand
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks in demand
- Microsoft Excel in demand
- Microsoft Office software in demand
- Microsoft PowerPoint in demand
- SAP software in demand
- C hot
- Microsoft Access hot
- Microsoft Outlook hot
- Microsoft Project hot
- Microsoft SharePoint hot
- Microsoft Visio hot
- Microsoft Visual Basic hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- R hot
- The MathWorks MATLAB hot
- CNC Mastercam
- Computer numerical control CNC software
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
- Eko
- FileMaker Pro
- Geometric CAMWorks
- IBM Notes
- Microsoft Exchange
- Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Minitab
- National Instruments LabVIEW
- PTC Creo Parametric
- Product lifecycle management PLM software
- Programmable logic controller PLC software
All 34
- Siemens NX
- SolidWorks Enterprise PDM
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
- Web browser software
Where it concentrates
BLS doesn't publish wages for Manufacturing Engineers separately. These are the figures for Industrial Engineers (17-2112), its parent occupation.
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, IN | 910 | 7.76 | $97,480 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | 1,240 | 4.34 | $97,250 |
| Sheboygan, WI | 560 | 3.95 | $94,170 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 17,350 | 3.87 | $104,110 |
| Peoria, IL | 1,500 | 3.85 | $117,180 |
| Decatur, AL | 530 | 3.65 | $106,230 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 2,030 | 3.52 | $101,610 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | 560 | 3.12 | $86,000 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | 320 | 3.07 | $98,410 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | 670 | 3.06 | $97,180 |