Industrial Engineering vs. Mechanical Engineering

Industrial engineering

Main focus

Industrial engineers are the big-picture systems thinkers. They are the streamliners, smoothers, efficiency-makers, and safety champions. They are the ones that align the boots-on-the-ground processes with a company’s goals, ranging from sustainability, energy and cost savings, safety, quality, and production timing.

And industrial engineers use many of the classic engineering tools and skills to accomplish this, including technical design, data analysis, automated systems and software, robotics, artificial intelligence, and much more.

Learn more about what industrial engineers do

Career options

Due to their broad skill sets and ability to zoom in and out with ease, industrial engineers are highly sought-after members of almost every industry.

• Need to make a process safer for workers on the factory floor? Industrial engineers do that.
• Need to transform a company’s shipping and delivery to net-zero emissions? Industrial engineers, like Oregon State alumni Andy Balk, can help.
• Need a hospital to triage ER patients more efficiently? Yep, that’s a job for industrial engineers. 
• Need robots to work alongside humans? Talk to your favorite industrial engineer.

And it’s not just about manufacturing: industrial engineers have become widely recognized for the value they can bring to nearly every industry, including transportation, healthcare, financial services, retail, hospitality, information technology, agriculture, and distribution.

In fact, every organization can benefit from industrial engineers streamlining its operations, whether it sells goods, services, or ideas. That’s why demand for industrial engineers continues to rise. 

Curriculum

You’ll see the wide range of skills of industrial engineers in a course list for a good industrial engineering program, like the degree at Oregon State. Classes vary from strength of materials, 3D modeling, production planning and protocol, simulation and decision support systems, and more.

See the full list of required courses

And the best industrial engineering programs will get you working on real, hands-on challenges–like Oregon State’s capstone project. One capstone team worked with a local shoe manufacturer to improve their procedure for attaching shoe soles, improving the quality and durability of the shoes.

Key skills and characteristics

Industrial engineering might be a great fit for you if you’re comfortable with planning and logistics, value streamlining and efficiencies, and can see the big picture along with all the details–and how they fit together. The field is definitely suited for systems-based thinkers, and if you have a business mindset, all the better.

Characteristics of industrial engineers include:

• Organized
• Efficient
• Planner
• Creative
• Analytical
• Holistic, or systems, thinker
• Problem solver
• Articulate
• Clear and concise communicator
• Have a continuous-improvement mindset

Work environment

The work environment for an industrial engineer is as variable as the types of sectors they work in and the projects they accomplish. As an industrial engineer, you might find that part of your job is based behind a computer workstation, but there are also plenty of on-site opportunities to gather information, get hands-on, oversee changes, and collaborate with others.

Industrial engineers interact with a wide range of people on the job, including production staff, managers, other engineers, clients, and suppliers.

Mechanical engineering

Main focus

Mechanical engineers have broad skill sets, too, but unlike industrial engineers, they are focused primarily on…you guessed it! Mechanical systems. Mechanical systems can be best described as assemblies of components that interact to produce movement or change. Machines like cars, planes, rockets, manufacturing equipment, HVAC systems, robots, and more.

Similar to industrial engineers, mechanical engineers work with technical design, data analysis, prototyping, automated systems and software, artificial intelligence, and much more to get their job done. 

Learn more about what mechanical engineers do

Career options

As one of the broadest engineering disciplines, mechanical engineers are sought after in various industries, including automotive, aerospace, energy, robotics, and manufacturing.

Here are a few examples of projects a mechanical engineer might work on:

• Design wind turbines, solar panels, or other clean energy sources.
• Develop new materials for sports equipment and spacecraft protective shells.
• Build safer medical devices for older people.
• Create underwater robots and submersibles for deep-sea exploration.

Curriculum

You’ll see the range of skills of mechanical engineers in a course list for a good mechanical engineering program, like the degree at Oregon State. Classes vary from electrical fundamentals, dynamics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer, instrumentation, and more.

See the full list of required courses

And, just like industrial engineering, the best mechanical engineering programs will get you working on real, hands-on projects. At Oregon State, mechanical engineering majors get involved in the ESRA advanced collegiate rocket building team, OSU Dam Robotics club, Society of Automotive Engineers’ Global Formula Racing and Baja racing teams, and more.

Key skills and characteristics

Great mechanical engineers are curious problem-solvers with strong math and science skills. They love figuring out how things work, improving designs, and tackling real-world challenges.

Whether it’s running calculations or building a prototype, mechanical engineers thrive when they can work hands-on — seeing both the big picture and the smallest details.

Work environment

Like industrial engineers, the day-to-day life of a mechanical engineer depends a lot on the industry—but there are some common threads.

Much of the day might be spent in a lab designing parts, systems, or products using CAD software, running simulations, and refining prototypes. Mechanical engineers also do site-based work, troubleshooting mechanical issues, testing new designs, and making improvements to ensure reliability, safety, and efficiency. 

They almost never work in isolation: Mechanical engineers collaborate with technicians, project managers, and other engineers in a dynamic environment that varies depending on the project and the day.

Key similarities

Problem-solving focus:

Both fields are about identifying challenges and designing practical solutions that improve efficiency, safety, or performance.

Blend of technical and people skills:

Both mechanical engineers and industrial engineers spend time using technical tools (like CAD or data analysis software) and working with teams across different levels and disciplines.

Wide industry applications:

Both degrees open doors to many fields—manufacturing, healthcare, aerospace, energy, robotics, logistics, and more.

Key differences

Scope of work:

Mechanical engineering focuses on designing, testing, and improving physical systems, machines, and products. Industrial engineers focus on optimizing processes, systems, and workflows that involve people, materials, and technology.

Tools & skills emphasized:

Industrial engineers heavily use statistics, operations research, supply chain modeling, and systems optimization to do their jobs. Mechanical engineers rely on CAD, materials science, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and prototype testing to do their work.

Day-to-day work environment:

Industrial engineers spend their days analyzing data, mapping processes, or being on-site observing workflows and coordinating improvements. Mechanical engineers are much more likely to be in labs, workshops, or design offices working with prototypes and physical components.