Salary comparison
Industrial Engineer vs Systems Engineer salary
Systems Engineers out-earn industrial engineers by about $16,610 at the median. Here is the full side-by-side breakdown — pay range, top states, and experience.
Systems Engineers earn more — a median of $117,750 versus $101,140 for industrial engineers, a gap of about $16,610 (16%). Both figures are national benchmarks (one or both mapped from the nearest tracked occupation).
Industrial Engineer
Verified$101,140
Median annual wage
- Entry (10th pct)
- $70,000
- Top 10%
- $157,140
- Discipline
- Architecture & Engineering
Systems Engineer
Mapped est.$117,750
Median annual wage
- Entry (10th pct)
- $62,840
- Top 10%
- $183,510
- Discipline
- Architecture & Engineering
Industrial Engineer vs Systems Engineer — pay distribution
Percentile-by-percentile comparison of national annual wages.
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentileIndustrial Engineer | $70,000 |
| MedianIndustrial Engineer | $101,140 |
| 90th percentileIndustrial Engineer | $157,140 |
| 10th percentileSystems Engineer | $62,840 |
| MedianSystems Engineer | $117,750 |
| 90th percentileSystems Engineer | $183,510 |
Pay by experience
Modeled progression from entry to principal level for each role (estimated from the national percentile curve).
Industrial Engineer
Systems Engineer
Where each role pays most
Highest-paying states by published median wage.
Industrial Engineer
- Alaska$142,980
- Louisiana$126,960
- Oregon$124,560
- California$123,070
- Wyoming$122,540
Systems Engineer
State-level figures aren't published for this title — see the Systems Engineer page.
Which should you choose?
On pay alone, systems engineers earn about 16% more at the median — but location and specialization routinely move pay by more than that gap.
Pick industrial engineer if…
Industrial engineers design efficient systems that integrate workers, machines, materials, and information to make a product or service.
- ▹Industry (tech and aerospace pay above traditional manufacturing)
- ▹Lean/Six Sigma certifications
- ▹Years of experience
Pick systems engineer if…
Systems engineers design and manage complex systems across their full life cycle, integrating hardware, software, and processes so the whole thing works as one.
- ▹Defense/aerospace clearance
- ▹INCOSE certification
- ▹Years of experience
Industrial Engineer vs Systems Engineer — frequently asked
Who earns more, industrial engineers or systems engineers?
What is the salary range for industrial engineers vs systems engineers?
Should I become a industrial engineer or a systems engineer?
Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2112 (Industrial Engineers), national.
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →