What do they do?
Design objects, facilities, and environments to optimize human well-being and overall system performance, applying theory, principles, and data regarding the relationship between humans and respective technology. Investigate and analyze characteristics of human behavior and performance as it relates to the use of technology.
Also known as:
Certified Professional Ergonomist, Cognitive Engineer, Consulting Ergonomist, Ergonomic Consultant, Ergonomics Consultant, Ergonomics Technical Advisor, Ergonomist, Human Factors Advisor, Human Factors Engineer, Occupational Ergonomist
No Data Available
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3.5%
Change
Ranks #41 in job growth rate1,410Job Openings
Ranks #5 in net job growth
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- Bachelor's degree (52%)
- Master's degree (19%)
- Some college, no degree (11%)
- Associate's degree (8%)
- High school diploma equivalent (6%)
- Doctorate or Professional Degree (3%)
- Less than high school diploma (1%)
Most Popular Majors that prepare Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists
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#1
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Degrees Granted
5,537
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Female Students
1,976
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Male Students
3,561
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Median Starting Salary
$61,467
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-
#2
-
Degrees Granted
1,388
-
Female Students
294
-
Male Students
1,094
-
Median Starting Salary
$51,600
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-
#3
-
Degrees Granted
724
-
Female Students
228
-
Male Students
496
-
Median Starting Salary
$66,400
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#4
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Degrees Granted
437
-
Female Students
82
-
Male Students
355
-
Median Starting Salary
$62,000
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#5
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Degrees Granted
329
-
Female Students
138
-
Male Students
191
-
Median Starting Salary
$61,100
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People in this career often have these skills:
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
People in this career often know a lot about:
- Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
- Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
People in this career often have talent in:
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
- Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
- Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
- Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
People in this career often do these activities:
- Analyze operational data to evaluate operations, processes or products.
- Develop technical methods or processes.
- Devise research or testing protocols.
- Advise others on health and safety issues.
- Document design or operational test results.
- Inspect facilities or sites to determine if they meet specifications or standards.
- Research human performance or health factors related to engineering or design activities.
- Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.
- Prepare proposal documents.
- Train personnel on proper operational procedures.
- Determine operational criteria or specifications.
- Assess product or process usefulness.
- Investigate safety of work environment.
- Estimate technical or resource requirements for development or production projects.
- Estimate time requirements for development or production projects.
- Create models of engineering designs or methods.
- Test performance of electrical, electronic, mechanical, or integrated systems or equipment.
- Recommend technical design or process changes to improve efficiency, quality, or performance.
- Prepare procedural documents.
This page includes data from:
Career data: O*NET 28.3 Database
by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (“USDOL/ETA”). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA
Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics
Videos: CareerOneStop, USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development
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