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Home | Career Pathways | Online Education Guide | Engineering Majors | Manufacturing Engineering

Online Education Guide

Guide to College Majors in Manufacturing Engineering

What is Manufacturing Engineering?

More than the average person might realize, engineers are creative pillars of modern society. While a painter focuses his creative energy towards expressing himself on a canvas, a manufacturing engineer supplies her creative efforts towards the creation of things, processes, and technology. If you think about it, we rely on the vision and genius of our society's engineers every single time we turn on the television, drive a car, check our email, do laundry, or take showers. Basically, the work of an engineer is involved with almost everything we do.

Manufacturing engineers have the task of improving manufacturing processes to be better, faster, and cheaper. The success of manufacturing engineers has a direct correlation to the advancement of technology and the widespread availability of innovation, making this facet of engineering essential. A professional in this field constantly reviews the allocation of resources, analyzes productivity, and seeks ways to maximize production while minimizing cost. Manufacturing engineering careers present challenging and rewarding opportunities that never fail to engage intellectual curiosity and push the edge of innovative thinking.

Increasingly, the options and methods for studying manufacturing engineering have expanded to include distance learning. The development of online engineering degree programs has enabled more students to obtain a quality education without having to relocate to a physical campus. Online college degree programs have opened the doors to many future engineers, as well as professional engineers hoping to advance their careers with distance education.

Because the field of manufacturing engineering advances as quickly as the most cutting-edge technology, many engineers rely on distance learning to continually increase and advance their skills. Online education makes it possible for students to maintain commitments to full-time jobs while completing requirements to earn a degree. Studying engineering also opens up doors to many other related careers including information systems management, computer programming, and business consulting.

Trends for Manufacturing Engineering Careers

As the demand of the American consumer continues to increase, there will continue to be a growing need for the development of products, buildings, and various other human necessities that are designed and improved upon by manufacturing engineers. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that job opportunities for manufacturing engineers will continue to grow slowly over the next decade. As companies strive to update production and processes to keep pace with the speed and efficiency of modern technology, the skill sets and knowledge of educated manufacturing engineers will be in increasing demand.

Career Education in Manufacturing Engineering

Preparing for Engineering School

To achieve success in manufacturing engineering, quality education is an absolute must. Engineers draw heavily on mathematical and scientific knowledge, and these are skills best developed in a manufacturing engineering degree program. An excellent manufacturing engineering degree program also provides students with an opportunity to fuse math and science with top-notch communications skills. But, how can a potential student decide if manufacturing engineering is the right field to pursue? There are several things to consider.

First, a potential student should investigate the scope of his engineering interests. Manufacturing engineering is just one facet of the engineering industry. A manufacturing engineer enjoys improving the production process from start to finish. He or she has the ability to keep the whole production process in mind as he or she zeroes in on a particular portion of the process. For example, successful students in manufacturing engineering degree programs are inspired by the notion of starting with a natural resource, such as a block of wood, and ending with a usable, valuable product, such as a desk.

Secondly, earning a college degree in manufacturing engineering involves intense and thorough study of advanced mathematics and science, including calculus, computer science, physics, and other upper level courses. Potential students should thrive in such courses. Proper preparation for earning an engineering education includes high school courses in math, science, computers, and computer assisted drafting.

Future engineering students should compare and contrast possible manufacturing engineering programs to find the best fit. This is a good way for a student to discover what qualities he or she is seeking in a program. Additionally, this type of research will help a student figure out what questions to ask admissions counselors that will assist in his or her final choice of program to pursue. The more information a student can gather about a potential manufacturing engineering degree program, the better informed his or her decision will be.

It is also a good idea for prospective students to talk to an experienced manufacturing engineer. Ask questions about day-to-day job tasks, opportunities for career advancement, education requirements, and anything else a student would want to know about his or her future career. Participating in this sort of career probing and investigation will certainly provide a more complete picture of a potential engineering student's future opportunities.

Manufacturing Engineering Degree Programs

Even within this highly specialized field of engineering, many choices exist. Whether a student is interested in developing an initial set of engineering skills before pursuing a more intense degree program, or whether a professional engineer is hoping to expand a general knowledge of manufacturing engineering with an advanced degree, distance learning provides a plethora of appealing opportunities.

As technology continues to advance, more manufacturing engineering schools offer degree programs online. Students participate in online tutorials, web seminars, and interactive labs virtually. Students who enroll in distance learning degree programs enjoy a unique opportunity to tailor their own schedule and course load to fit in with existing commitments to jobs and family.

Certificate Programs
Engineering certificate programs offer worthwhile options to both new students seeking an introductory educational experience and current manufacturing engineering professionals who want a more in-depth knowledge of their specialty. Online engineering certificate programs encourage students to learn and improve skills in a narrow, specific facet of the field.

Improving key skills allows manufacturing engineering majors to develop a focused expertise that could translate into stronger employment opportunities and job growth. In addition, when a student completes the requirements for a certificate in engineering, most online degree programs allow that student to transfer these credits towards a more advanced, intense degree program. Certificate programs vary, and potential students should discuss particular degree programs with school admissions counselors.

Associate Degree
Engineering students who commit to pursuing an Associate degree will discover opportunities in several engineering fields. Many programs allow students to take elective courses dedicated to manufacturing engineering. Most Associate degree programs provide students with a thorough, broad knowledge of engineering technology. Students who earn an Associate degree will also qualify for many entry-level jobs in engineering technology fields. This is an attractive opportunity for students to get their feet wet in the classroom and on the job before deciding to pursue a more intense degree program.

Bachelor of Science in Engineering
The Bachelor of Science degree is the foundation for the majority of manufacturing engineering careers. Most B.S. in Engineering programs focus heavily on the general concepts of engineering, math, science, and technology. Known to be intense and rigorous, B.S. programs also place immense emphasis on merging strong engineering skills with the ability to effectively communicate. Students pursuing a B.S. in Engineering should also expect to study humanities, history, and ethics. Online manufacturing engineering degree programs offer students this well-rounded education over the Internet, making the experience possible from anywhere with Internet access.

Master of Science in Manufacturing Engineering
After a couple of years of work experience, many engineers find it necessary to increase their knowledge of a specific niche of engineering in order to open doors to job promotion and career advancement. Thus, many manufacturing engineers pursue a Master of Science in Manufacturing Engineering degree. This degree program focuses on advanced technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and a sophisticated understanding of everything involved in the manufacturing process. M.S.M.E. degree programs allow students to specialize their talents and skills, which increases job value and employability in advanced positions. Because most students make the decision to pursue and M.S.M.E. while working, online degree programs are an attractive and convenient way for students to study and plan for the future while maintaining present commitments.

Master of Science in Engineering Management
Potential students should consider the Master of Science Degree program in Engineering after a few years of work experience. Most M.S.E.M. degree programs appeal to current engineers who anticipate taking on their first management role. This advanced curriculum combines sophisticated engineering knowledge with leadership training and project management courses. The goal of M.S.E.M. degree programs is to develop engineering professionals who are effectively able to manage and lead a group of engineers. Distance education is an advantageous way to pursue and obtain an M.S.E.M. degree because it allows experienced engineers to continue working full-time while advancing their skills, education, and training. Online degree programs also allow students to focus more heavily on the unique management skills associated with specific fields of engineering.

What can you do with a College Major in Manufacturing Engineering?

Career options for aspiring manufacturing engineers

Industrial Engineer. The work of an industrial engineer is very similar to the work of a manufacturing engineer. This field requires knowledge of manufacturing processes. An industrial engineer focuses on the product development process and seeks to constantly streamline and improve manufacturing techniques. Professionals working in this field often pursue advanced training in quality assurance and operations management. Industrial engineers find work in several industries and enjoy various prospective job fields, including manufacturing, technology, and service. As modern technology continues to advance, industrial engineers are learning that the techniques developed to benefit the manufacturing process also apply to most other industries.
Business Consultant. When a manufacturing company is having trouble addressing problems, they often hire a business consultant to offer advice and potential solutions. Successful engineering business consultants are experts in particular niches or industries. Business consultants are able to look at problems objectively, formulate plans for improvement, and most importantly, effectively communicate with clients. Business consultants with degrees in manufacturing engineering are especially valuable to companies seeking to update and streamline production and assembly procedures.
Operations Research Analyst. An operations research analyst studies processing and manufacturing procedures in order to determine areas for improvement and growth. Professionals in this occupation rely on extensive research and observation to form decision-making methods and problem solving techniques. Like a manufacturing engineer, operations research analysts are able to view the bigger picture of a production process in order to gauge how to make the individual components of the process cheaper and more efficient. Operations research analysts focus on the end result and continually try to improve their products. This type of position is found in various parts of the engineering industry, including manufacturing engineering and industrial engineering.
Engineering Technician. Engineering technicians apply scientific, mathematic, and engineering theories and methods to solve technical problems in various fields of engineering. Most engineering technician jobs require an Associate degree, so job advancement and depth is designed for a young professional who may still be exploring career interests.

Engineering Technicians who work in the manufacturing industry serve as assistants to more experienced engineering professionals for research, product design, manufacturing procedures and various related tasks. The function of an Engineering Technician general involves more practical and physical assignments like using an engineer's plan to build a prototype of a product or utilizing computer assisted drafting tools to generate virtual models.
Engineering Managers. Engineering managers are experienced engineering professionals who are successfully able to combine an immense command of engineering technique and theory with excellent communication skills. In general, an engineering manager guides, oversees, and directs teams of engineers and is responsible for the productivity and results of his team. Many engineering managers work in the manufacturing industry, and a background in manufacturing engineering is a solid foundation for future engineers hoping to pursue this advanced career path.
Information Systems Managers. Systems managers develop, modify, and monitor information systems. Information systems collect and track data, and they enable users to recall and pull up information quickly. Information systems managers have to keep up with the constantly improving and changing computer technology and create plans to implement the latest technology on existing systems. In addition, systems managers coordinate and supervise the efforts of teams of computer programmers, computer engineers and systems analysts. Information systems managers rely on their manufacturing engineering degrees constantly, in order to appropriately address the requirements of managing information systems.

Salary Expectations for Manufacturing Engineers

Working as an engineer is not only an important and stimulating profession, it is also a lucrative one. The Wall Street Journal's online CareerJournal reports that many entry-level manufacturing engineers earn salaries between $45,000 and $50,000. After about ten years of work experience, manufacturing engineers have an earning potential of $75,000 per year or greater. An engineering professional who continues to advance his or her education and develop additional skills as technology progresses has the potential to earn a significantly higher salary than his or her peers who do not participate in continuing education.

Certification and Licensure

Professional Engineer (PE) Certification and Licensure. In order to qualify for the Professional Engineers licensure, a candidate generally needs a Bachelor's Degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program, completion of a state level examination, and four years of work experience. More recent degree recipients have the option of dividing this licensure process into two segments. The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is taken immediately after graduation and the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam is taken after four years of working in a chosen engineering field.

Manufacturing Technologist Certification (CMfgT). Qualified candidates for the Certified Manufacturing Technologist Certificate (CMfgT) must pass a three-hour, 130-question multiple-choice exam. The exam covers math, manufacturing processes, manufacturing management, automation, and other subjects considered to be part of the CMfgt body of knowledge. Additionally, a candidate must have at least four years of combined education and manufacturing related work experience.

Certified Manufacturing Engineer (CMfgE). Candidates qualifying for the Certified Manufacturing Engineer Certificate must first pass a three-hour, 150 question multiple-choice exam. This exam covers more in-depth topics than the CMfgT exam. CMfgE candidates must also have eight years of combined education and manufacturing related work experience, with a minimum of four years of work experience.

Certified Engineering Manager (CEM). The Certified Engineering Manager Certificate is also designed for engineers with eight years of combined education and manufacturing related experience. The test is four hours long and has 160 multiple-choice questions. The CEM certification exam covers business processes, teamwork, responsibility and other management related categories.

Certified Enterprise Integrator (CEI). In order to qualify for the Certified Enterprise Integrator (CEI) Certificate, a candidate must have eight years of combined education and manufacturing related manufacturing experience. CEI candidates must also pass a six-hour, 250 multiple-choice question exam. The CEI exam also includes the CEM exam, so passing securing the CEI certification also qualifies a candidate for the CEM certification. The CEI exam covers categories including customer focus, organization, business processes, and other management related categories.

Co-ops, Apprenticeships and Internships Unlock Opportunities

Students in manufacturing engineering degree programs can consider numerous career opportunities. For many students, studying engineering encourages a fairly defined career path. Students, however, play a large part in creating this path by participating in engineering related cooperative education programs (co-ops) and internships throughout the course of their engineering degree programs.

Because engineering inherently involves applying science, math, and technology to real world problems, engineering professionals find hands-on experience a necessary part of receiving a quality education. This philosophy is advantageous for students and companies in the manufacturing industry. Students have the opportunity to gain solid work experience as interns and co-op associates, and manufacturing companies are able to find bright, motivated young engineers early in their careers.

The process of landing a summer internship or a semester-long co-op is very competitive, but this should be a priority for an undergraduate manufacturing engineering student. Major manufacturing companies offer internships to students who excel academically, who demonstrate leadership potential, who are willing to work hard, and who have the ability to communicate effectively. It is not uncommon for a student to intern at the same company for multiple summers, and it is also not uncommon for companies to offer full-time employment to outstanding interns and co-op participants upon graduation.

Other Associations and Certification Bodies