All About Manufacturing Engineers
Manufacturing Engineer Definition 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.
Life As a Manufacturing Engineer: What Do They Do?
- Design layout of equipment or workspaces to achieve maximum efficiency.
- Read current literature, talk with colleagues, participate in educational programs, attend meetings, attend workshops, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in the manufacturing field.
- Analyze the financial impacts of sustainable manufacturing processes or sustainable product manufacturing.
- Prepare documentation for new manufacturing processes or engineering procedures.
- Provide technical expertise or support related to manufacturing.
- Estimate costs, production times, or staffing requirements for new designs.
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Manufacturing Engineer Needed Skills
Below is a list of the skills most Manufacturing Engineers say are important on the job.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Other Manufacturing Engineer Job Titles
- Methods Engineer
- Manufacturing Engineering Manager
- Plant Engineer
- Advanced Manufacturing Engineer
- Manufacturing Engineer
Manufacturing Engineer Employment Estimates
In the United States, there were 132,500 jobs for Manufacturing Engineer in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6.4% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 8,500 new jobs for Manufacturing Engineer by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 9,500 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Manufacturing Engineer are Nevada, Utah, and North Dakota. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Minnesota, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Manufacturing Engineer Average Salary
The typical yearly salary for Manufacturing Engineers is somewhere between $50,750 and $155,650.

Manufacturing Engineers who work in District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia, make the highest salaries.
How much do Manufacturing Engineers make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $115,710 |
Alaska | $114,040 |
Arizona | $94,450 |
Arkansas | $71,510 |
California | $107,700 |
Colorado | $111,610 |
Connecticut | $100,230 |
District of Columbia | $132,530 |
Florida | $82,970 |
Georgia | $93,580 |
Hawaii | $96,940 |
Idaho | $110,270 |
Illinois | $87,220 |
Indiana | $73,340 |
Iowa | $78,230 |
Kansas | $82,060 |
Kentucky | $79,690 |
Louisiana | $90,580 |
Maine | $85,800 |
Maryland | $118,420 |
Massachusetts | $109,220 |
Michigan | $90,420 |
Minnesota | $101,620 |
Mississippi | $79,630 |
Missouri | $86,850 |
Montana | $79,590 |
Nebraska | $82,760 |
Nevada | $94,950 |
New Hampshire | $99,070 |
New Jersey | $114,990 |
New Mexico | $114,790 |
New York | $95,270 |
North Carolina | $83,900 |
North Dakota | $83,270 |
Ohio | $93,370 |
Oklahoma | $83,080 |
Oregon | $90,720 |
Pennsylvania | $96,550 |
Rhode Island | $95,790 |
South Carolina | $100,750 |
South Dakota | $84,320 |
Tennessee | $82,030 |
Texas | $113,370 |
Utah | $89,810 |
Vermont | $81,960 |
Virginia | $118,390 |
Washington | $104,890 |
West Virginia | $91,420 |
Wisconsin | $86,600 |
Wyoming | $97,040 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Manufacturing Engineers
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Manufacturing Engineers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Data entry software
- SAP
- Microsoft Project
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Microsoft Visio
- Microsoft SharePoint
- The MathWorks MATLAB
- IBM Notes
- Microsoft Visual Basic
- FileMaker Pro
- R
- Minitab
- National Instruments LabVIEW
Becoming a Manufacturing Engineer
Education needed to be a Manufacturing Engineer:

What work experience do I need to become a Manufacturing Engineer?

Where do Manufacturing Engineers Work?

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those thinking about becoming a Manufacturing Engineer might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
Image Credit: luis gomes via CC0 License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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