Education · 1 of 5
The path
One degree, no mandatory license. The internships matter as much as the grades.
- 1
High school
Grades 11 and 12
Take the hardest math you can handle, plus physics and any statistics or computing course on offer.
- 2
Four-year engineering degree
4 years
A bachelor's in industrial engineering, or industrial and systems engineering, accredited by ABET (the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology). Check the accreditation before you enroll: it matters for licensing and for some employers.
- 3
Internships or a co-op
Summers, or alternating terms
A co-op alternates semesters of school and full-time paid work. It stretches the degree to five years and is the single best thing you can do for your hiring odds.
- 4
First job
On graduation
Titles vary: process engineer, manufacturing engineer, continuous improvement engineer, operations analyst. All the same work under different names.
- 5
Optional license
4 to 5 more years if you want it
Sit the Fundamentals of Engineering exam near graduation, work four years under a licensed engineer, then take the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam to become a licensed Professional Engineer. Most industrial engineers never do this.