Mechanical vs Industrial Engineering

[amicold]

Long story short, I'm a little behind the times on my education. I am in my early 20s, I went to school for two semesters and have been working dead-enders since. I'm now enrolled again and doing what I was supposed to have done right out of high school. Can anyone explain the differences here? I only have a year's worth of gen-eds under my belt and another year and a semester of pre-reqs for either discipline before I really need to decide.

 

[SKORPI0]

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/mechanical-engineers.htm

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/industrial-engineers.htm

http://www.usc.edu/dept/engineering...-civil-mechanical-and-industrial-engineering/

 

[iGas]

Both will lead you into paper pushing positions, however mechanical is quite a broad field that also have field work in many sectors, while industrial/process is more or less management.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_engineering

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_engineering

[add]
I'm not sure what it is like in the US, but all engineering are needed in Canada and chemical is among the highest pay here, and instrumentation control is at the very top of the salary scale.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

if you want to play with robots, they hire almost exclusively mech eng with strong software skills, even for technician-worthy jobs

 

[Buckeye269]

I'm currently majoring in mechanical engineering. I would say if you have a difficult time choosing which engineering major then ME is the way to go since it is so broad. The way it was explained to me was that Industrial is primarily in manufacturing and deals with streamlining processes and making the manufacturing process more effecient. ME deals more with the actual engineering of tangible things.

tl;dr
Mechanical engineers design the products that industrial engineers make more efficient.

 

[moonbogg]

Go ME and then choose where to work and what to get your PE in.

 

[Printer Bandit]

Industrial Engineering was referred to as Imaginary Engineering, when I was in school.

It got no respect and was one rung up from being a Business major.

 

[Howard]

IME an ME could do IE work with a bit of training and experience. The opposite might be true but the perception doesn't reflect that.

 

[uclaLabrat]

EEs build weapons, MEs build targets.

 

[Triumph]

EEs build weapons, MEs build targets.

get your nerd jokes straight, civE's build targets. duh.

 

[Printer Bandit]

EE is the pinnacle, the alpha, and omega.

 

[michal1980]

EE is the pinnacle, the alpha, and omega.

until you let the smoke out.

 

[deadlyapp]

As others have said, mechE is a broad subject and allows you to springboard into many different fields, most of which start at a very good payscale. Once you get your foot in the door with a company and industry, you can then use the degree to do just about anything.

Source:
Graduated 2011 MechE, work as product manager now for an oil & gas equipment supplier.

 

[MongGrel]

get your nerd jokes straight, civE's build targets. duh.

I had to laugh at that one

 

[amicold]

Most of you seem on target with what I've read online. IEs are not real engineers, ha. I asked because one of my professors seems to be under the impression that IEs are more than glorified business majors. Thought maybe AT would have some real world experience for me. Thanks to all I appreciate it.

 

[MongGrel]

depends on what you're good at I guess.

I'm just a lowly Journeyman Tool & Diemaker, but I work with EE's and ME's everyday and am basically the Jarvis to their plans I guess.

Not that lowly really, bit of a joke.

Even help em out with suggestions on improving things a lot of the time

 

[MongGrel]

Most of you seem on target with what I've read online. IEs are not real engineers, ha. I asked because one of my professors seems to be under the impression that IEs are more than glorified business majors. Thought maybe AT would have some real world experience for me. Thanks to all I appreciate it.

I wasn't going to chime in about it too much earlier as I really don't know much about IE's, but I imagine it is more manufacturing process's and statistically oriented.

Probably like a CPA Engineer, if I'm not mistaken.