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Major · Engineering Technology

Applied factory-floor engineering for production, automation, and quality

Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Technician (CIP 15.0613) trains you to apply engineering principles and technical skills to production problems on the factory floor — machine operations, CAM, automation, quality control, and manufacturing planning. About 1,695 students complete it across 263 institutions; bachelor’s grads earn $79,518 and associate’s grads $78,816 — almost no wage gap.

Schools offering
263
Annual completions
1,695
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$79k

About this major

Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Technician (CIP 15.0613) trains you to apply engineering principles and hands-on technical skills to production-floor problems — the design, operation, and improvement of manufacturing systems. The CIP definition covers machine operations, production-line operations, engineering analysis, systems analysis, instrumentation, physical controls, automation, computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), manufacturing planning, quality control, and information infrastructure. Coursework typically blends engineering math through calculus, applied statistics for quality control (statistical process control and Six Sigma), CAD and CAM software, PLC programming, robotics and automation, and substantial lab time on real factory equipment — CNC machines, automation trainers, and inspection equipment.

The major fits students drawn to applied engineering work without the heavily theoretical math sequence of a full engineering degree, students who want hands-on equipment exposure and production-floor problem-solving, and students aiming at the manufacturing sector specifically. It rewards mechanical aptitude, comfort with structured problem-solving, and the kind of patient analytical work that finds the source of a recurring quality defect or a downtime pattern. Day-to-day at the technician or engineer-tech level mixes equipment troubleshooting, process improvement projects, quality data analysis, and the documentation work that drives continuous-improvement initiatives.

One grounded observation about scale and wages: 1,695 students complete this CIP across 263 institutions, with bachelor’s grads earning $79,518 and associate’s grads $78,816 — a wage gap of less than $1,000, which is unusual and signals that the labor market values hands-on equipment and automation skills at parity across degree levels. The named SOC, Industrial engineering technologists and technicians, pays $64,790 with 1.7% projected growth and associate’s as typical entry. Top producers split between community colleges (John C Calhoun State 133 associate’s, Ivy Tech 73, Texas State Technical 59) and four-year programs (Texas A&M 107 bachelor’s, Wisconsin-Platteville 78, Purdue 61). Demand drivers include semiconductor and battery manufacturing reshoring, aerospace and medical-device hiring, and aging-workforce replacement across established manufacturers — but cyclical sectors like automotive and industrial machinery track the broader business cycle.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

Occupation Median wage Job growth Typical education
Industrial engineering technologists and technicians $65k +1.7% Associate's degree
Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$79k

Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings

Associate's

$79k

Bachelor's

$80k

Who this major is for

Good signs this major fits: you’re drawn to applied engineering work with hands-on equipment exposure rather than the heavily theoretical math sequence of a full engineering degree; you have mechanical aptitude and enjoy structured problem-solving on real production-floor equipment; you’re comfortable with patient analytical work that traces a recurring quality defect or downtime pattern back to its source; you want a credential that delivers strong wages at both associate’s and bachelor’s levels (the under-$1,000 gap signals labor-market parity); and you’re interested in growing manufacturing sectors like semiconductors, aerospace, medical devices, EV batteries, or defense industrial-base manufacturing.

Reasons to pause: a full engineering degree (mechanical, industrial, or manufacturing engineering — CIP 14.3601) opens design, R&D, and capital-equipment specification roles that engineering-technology graduates typically don’t reach without substantial additional credentials. The 1.7% projected growth in the named SOC is modest, and cyclical exposure exists in automotive and industrial machinery hiring. School-specific program quality varies considerably across the 263 institutions; verify which equipment, software (CAD, CAM, PLC programming), and Six Sigma or quality certifications the specific program covers before enrolling. The closely related Industrial Technology/Technician (CIP 15.0612, 1,933 completions) is a slightly broader sibling — confirm you want the engineering-technology-specific track rather than the more management-and-operations-focused alternative.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Technician

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
John C Calhoun State Community College Tanner, AL 133 0 133
Texas A&M University-College Station College Station, TX 0 107 107
University of Wisconsin-Platteville Platteville, WI 0 78 78
Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN 73 0 73
Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN 0 61 61
Texas State Technical College Waco, TX 59 0 59
ITI Technical College Baton Rouge, LA 53 0 53
Connecticut State Community College New Britain, CT 35 0 35
Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport, PA 18 17 35
Pearl River Community College Poplarville, MS 32 0 32
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

Construction Engineering Technology/Technician

3,657 completions/yr

Mechanical/Mechanical Engineering Technology/Technician

2,735 completions/yr

Industrial Technology/Technician

1,933 completions/yr

Electromechanical/Electromechanical Engineering Technology/Technician

1,104 completions/yr

Chemical Technology/Technician

1,095 completions/yr

Instrumentation Technology/Technician

1,036 completions/yr

Computer Engineering Technology/Technician

892 completions/yr

Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians, Other

733 completions/yr
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

What do manufacturing engineering technology majors actually study?
The CIP definition centers on applying basic engineering principles and technical skills to production-floor problems. Coursework typically covers machine operations, production-line operations, engineering analysis, systems analysis, instrumentation, physical controls, automation, computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), CAD, manufacturing planning, quality control (statistical process control, Six Sigma), and information infrastructure. Most programs include extensive lab time on real factory equipment — CNC machines, robotics cells, automation trainers, and PLC controls.
How does this differ from a full engineering degree?
Manufacturing engineering technology programs (CIP 15.0613) are applied and hands-on — math typically goes through calculus and applied statistics, with strong lab and equipment focus. Manufacturing engineering programs (CIP 14.3601, separate code) are theoretical and math-heavy — calculus through differential equations, more design and analysis, less factory-equipment time. Engineering technology graduates typically work in production and operations roles; engineering graduates more often work in design, R&D, and capital-equipment specification. Both are valuable; the right pick depends on whether you want hands-on or design-heavy work.
What jobs do graduates land?
The packet names Industrial engineering technologists and technicians ($64,790, 1.7% growth, associate’s typical entry). Realistic destinations include manufacturing engineer or process engineer at large manufacturers (automotive, aerospace, medical device, food processing, semiconductors), quality engineer or quality technician roles, manufacturing planner, automation/PLC technician, CNC programmer, Six Sigma or continuous-improvement specialist, and supervisory production-floor roles. The strong bachelor’s wage ($79,518) reflects active recruiting from these sectors.
Why is the bachelor’s and associate’s pay almost identical?
The $700 gap between $79,518 (bachelor’s) and $78,816 (associate’s) is unusual and reflects how strongly the labor market values hands-on equipment and automation skills at the technician level. Manufacturing employers often pay associate’s-credentialed automation and quality technicians at parity with engineering-tech bachelor’s graduates because the job is the same and the equipment skills are what generate value. The bachelor’s adds management-track depth and slightly accelerated promotion timelines but doesn’t change starting wage materially. The pattern is a positive signal for the associate’s as a credential.
Is the manufacturing job market stable?
The named SOC projects 1.7% growth — modest but positive. Underlying demand drivers include reshoring of strategic supply chains (semiconductors, batteries, pharmaceuticals), industrial automation expansion, and aging-workforce replacement at established manufacturers. Specific sectors that have hired aggressively include aerospace, medical devices, EV battery manufacturing, semiconductor fabrication, and defense industrial-base manufacturing. Cyclical exposure exists — automotive and industrial machinery hiring tracks the broader business cycle — so picking sector matters.
How does this compare to industrial technology/technician (CIP 15.0612)?
Industrial Technology/Technician (15.0612, 1,933 completions) is the close sibling — slightly broader, often more management-and-operations focused, sometimes with less specific engineering-technology rigor. Manufacturing Engineering Technology (15.0613) is more engineering-and-equipment-specific. The two CIPs are close enough that school-specific program design matters more than the code; verify which equipment, software (CAD, CAM, PLC programming), and certifications the program covers before enrolling.