Is Industrial Engineering Hard?
Because you have so many options in front of you when it comes to selecting the major in your higher studies it becomes quite complicated as you cannot process which subject would be appropriate for you and whether you should go with a particular subject or not. If you have an interest in engineering and are interested in industrial engineering, you must be confused about whether it is an easy subject to take as a major or whether it would be a stressful one.
Well, industrial engineering can be tough, it can be challenging and hard but whether it is appropriate for you or not depends upon your aptitude, workplace, the area of focus, and from which organization you are getting the education. It involves complex studies of hard subjects. We will talk in detail about whether industrial engineering is hard or not so that you can finalize what would be your major in higher studies.

Here in this article, we will talk about what industrial engineering is and how hard it is to study the subject. We will also focus on the job opportunities you have after studying industrial engineering and what colleges offer the best education.
What Is Industrial Engineering?

Industrial engineering is one of the sub-branches of engineering and because of its technicality, the field involves dealing with complex systems, designing, and optimization of advanced setups to improve the efficiency, productivity, and quality of the industry. You have to manage the complex setups of the industry, have to organize the systems and deal with processes to improve the outcome of the industries.
The basic responsibility of industrial engineers is to conclude with the use of their theoretical and practical knowledge and derive efficient conclusions and procedures to manufacture those goods and services that can maximize productivity and profit and minimize waste. Industrial engineering is a wide field in which professional engineers work for the betterment of industries on a large scale.
What You Have To Study In Industrial Engineering?
To study and complete the degree in industrial engineering in your higher education, you have to make sure that you have an aptitude for math, engineering, and technology. Since the subject is highly mathematical, it involves the study of advanced math such as equations, calculus, linear algebra, and probability.
Moreover, you also have to study physics, statistics, and other technical subjects to become an industrial engineer. And since the industrial engineer works in the industrial field, you have to study thermal physics, electricity, magnetism, and other relevant subjects.
Plus, you will also have to learn programming and computing so you can deal with the formulas and solve complex equations within no time. No doubt, the course of industrial engineering is difficult but is worth taking because of its scope in the future.
No doubt due to the presence of a range of subjects, getting a degree in industrial engineering becomes somewhat difficult for students. Well, keep in mind, if you have an interest in math and calculations you can get the degree with convenience and ease. Adding to it, although the subjects are difficult because they include the study and understanding of machines and business and how we can use them for more profit and more productivity, it becomes interesting.
What Skills Should You Have To Be An Industrial Engineer?
If you are interested in studying industrial engineering, you have to make sure that you have these skills in you. Following is the list of those skills and the details of the points that you should make sure are present in you to learn industrial engineering in a better, more understandable way.
Aptitude Towards Physics And Math
If you have an interest in physics and math subjects you can learn industrial engineering in a better way. This is because industrial engineering includes several equations, linear algebra, calculus, and some advanced concepts of mathematics and physics.
Problem-Solving Skills
One of the important skills that you must have to get a degree in industrial engineering easily includes problem-solving skills. You have to make sure that you have an analytical approach and that you can solve the complex questions and problems that you encounter. This is important because in industrial engineering you have to solve intricate problems and have to deal with complex data to simplify it.
Creativity

Creativity is another essential skill that should be present in you. The innovative ideas and creativity in your mind help in bringing up the solutions to the problems for the betterment of the industry as a whole. Moreover, because you have to develop the ideas and have to bring certain solutions for the business as a whole you have to make sure that you have a creative mind as it will help you in making improvements for overall productivity and profit.
Programming Skills
Programming is one of the basic subjects that you have to study in industrial engineering. You should have programming skills, for example understanding of programming languages that mainly include Python and C++. These languages are commonly used in industrial engineering and that is why you should have the basic knowledge of these languages so that you can understand industrial engineering in a better way.
Future Of Industrial Engineers
Undoubtedly the future of industrial engineers is bright. Since they are the problem solvers there is a need for industrial engineers in every field of economy. In the US market, there is high demand for industrial engineers so you have a bright future there.
What GPA is Considered Good For Industrial Engineers?
A total of 3.5 or above GPA is considered one of the excellent GPAs for industrial engineers. Make sure your CGPA becomes 3.4 or above if you want to get a better job in the future. Moreover, another important thing that you must pay attention to is that your salary and job depend not only on your GPA but also on your professional experience, the skill level you have, and the organization you are working in.
What Job Choices Do You Have As An Industrial Engineer?
After studying industrial engineering you have the option of getting enrolled in healthcare systems where you have to design the hospital systems for a better workflow and better patient care. You also have the option of getting enrolled in transportation systems where your responsibility is to design the routes that can be used for better transportation. Moreover, you can also get enrolled in retail business for the manufacturing department where you have to create a system by managing the waste to minimize it for better productivity.
Moreover, you also have the option of getting the job of a production engineer, quality control engineer, supply chain analyst, project manager, logistics engineer, and process improvement engineer. That of course gives you a competitive salary.
The Demand for Industrial Engineers In the US Market
There is a high demand for industrial engineers in the USA. That means this career is full of opportunities and offers you numerous choices of professions in which you can take part in. Jobs for industrial engineers in the US seem to grow by 10% from 2021 to 2031. Around 22,400 job opportunities have been available for industrial engineers every year since the last decade.
Average Salary Of An Industrial Engineer
The average annual income of an industrial engineer is around $92000. Just like other professions, the average salary of an industrial engineer depends mainly on the education level of the organization he is working in and his level of experience.
Keep in mind, entry-level industrial engineers earn between $ 60000 to $75000 per year and when it comes to professional and skilled industrial engineers who have more than 3 to 5 years of experience their salary can range up to $125000 per year. And for your information, I would like to tell you that certain industries pay six-figure salaries to industrial engineers and this includes information technology, public administration, mining, oil and gas extraction industry, scientific industry, and management of companies.
Top Industrial Engineering Colleges In The World
Following is the list of top industrial engineering colleges in the world. The list is given so you can opt for the best college according to your need.
- Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta Georgia
- Perdue University in West Lafayette Indiana
- Texas A&M University in the US
- The Pennsylvania State University in Pennsylvania
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University China
- Politecnico di Milano in Italy
- Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China
- The University of Manchester Cranfield University in England UK
- Polytechnic University of Turin Italy
What does an industrial engineer do?
Industrial engineers are responsible for setting up efficient systems so that the machines, workers, raw materials, information, and energy can be used effectively for better and more productive outcomes. Industrial engineers play an important role in the betterment and prosperity of the industry as they are responsible for coming up with ideas and designing frameworks to maximize profit.
Is industrial engineering a good field?
Yes, it is one of the great options for those who are interested in engineering. Industrial engineering helps students learn how to devise a system for the betterment of the industry as a whole. Moreover, industrial engineering jobs are always in the hype. You can get several jobs as an industrial engineer in various fields of the economy.
Do industrial engineers have a future?
Industrial engineers play an important role in the growth of the overall economy of the country. This makes them one of the important employees in the industry. Moreover, there are several jobs available for industrial engineers in every field of the economy so we can say yes industrial engineers can have a very bright future.
Hopefully, you have gone through the above-mentioned article that tells you everything about whether industrial engineering is an easy subject or hard. The guide tells you about what you have to study in this field and what skills you should have to be an industrial engineer. Moreover, I have also elaborated on the reliable college choices that you have so that you can select the best industrial engineering colleges to get an education.