Manufacturing Engineers
SOC code 17-2112 · O*NET-SOC 17-2112.03 · Considerable preparation needed · Science and engineering
Bright Outlook — O*NET expects rapid growth for this occupation
Manufacturing Engineers pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$102,440
a year
Hourly
$49.25
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$109,900
$52.84 per hour
Middle 50%
$83,600 – $129,250
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$74,370 – $159,860
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
365,740
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
These pay and employment figures are for the broader BLS group “Industrial Engineers”, not this job alone.
- 10th percentile
- $74,370
- $35.76/hr
- 25th percentile
- $83,600
- $40.19/hr
- Median percentile
- $102,440
- $49.25/hr
- 75th percentile
- $129,250
- $62.14/hr
- 90th percentile
- $159,860
- $76.85/hr
Job outlook · federal projection 2024–34
+11%
Growing much faster than average
351,100
jobs in 2024
389,600
projected for 2034
About 38,500 more jobs
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections, 2024–34. Projections describe the broader occupation group and are estimates, not guarantees.
What does a manufacturing engineer do?
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.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Troubleshoot new or existing product problems involving designs, materials, or processes.
- Investigate or resolve operational problems, such as material use variances or bottlenecks.
- Identify opportunities or implement changes to improve manufacturing processes or products or to reduce costs, using knowledge of fabrication processes, tooling and production equipment, assembly methods, quality control standards, or product design, materials and parts.
- Apply continuous improvement methods, such as lean manufacturing, to enhance manufacturing quality, reliability, or cost-effectiveness.
- Provide technical expertise or support related to manufacturing.
- Incorporate new manufacturing methods or processes to improve existing operations.
- Review product designs for manufacturability or completeness.
- Determine root causes of failures or recommend changes in designs, tolerances, or processing methods, using statistical procedures.
How to become a manufacturing engineer
Most people in this role hold bachelor's degree — 76% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 4 — Considerable preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- Bachelor's Degree76%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree16%
- Some College Courses4%
- First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.4%
Common questions
How much does a manufacturing engineer earn?
The national median is $102,440 a year. The full range runs from $74,370 at the 10th percentile to $159,860 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a manufacturing engineer without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 4, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Is manufacturing engineer in demand?
Federal projections expect employment to grow by about 11% between 2024 and 2034 — growing much faster than average. Openings also come from people retiring or changing jobs, which the growth figure does not count.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Mathematics4.0/5
- Active Listening3.9/5
- Speaking3.9/5
- Monitoring3.9/5
- Writing3.8/5
- Critical Thinking3.8/5
Knowledge areas
- Production and Processing4.4/5
- Engineering and Technology4.4/5
- Mechanical4.1/5
- Design4.0/5
- Mathematics4.0/5
- Computers and Electronics3.8/5
- English Language3.8/5
- Physics3.4/5
Transferable strengths: Complex Problem Solving, Operations Monitoring, Judgment and Decision Making.