Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists build complex problem solving, judgment and decision making and systems evaluation skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Computer and Information Research Scientists (84%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer and Information Research Scientists | 84% | $140,300 | — | None |
| 2 | Health Informatics Specialists | 83% | $105,850Pay for the broader BLS group “Computer Systems Analysts” | Not compared | None |
| 3 | Data Scientists | 76% | $120,230 | — | None |
| 4 | Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | 74% | $90,150 | — | None |
| 5 | Operations Research Analysts | 73% | $88,940 | — | None |
| 6 | Physicists | 73% | $172,250 | — | None |
| 7 | Industrial Ecologists | 72% | $82,220Pay for the broader BLS group “Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health” | Not compared | None |
| 8 | Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | 72% | $104,300 | — | None |
| 9 | Bioinformatics Scientists | 72% | $98,920Pay for the broader BLS group “Biological Scientists, All Other” | Not compared | None |
| 10 | Statisticians | 72% | $105,650 | — | None |
Compared with Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists, median —. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as human factors engineers and ergonomists (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
84% skill match · $140,300
Programming · Systems Analysis · Management of Financial Resources
83% skill match · $105,850 (broader BLS group)
Programming · Systems Analysis · Coordination
76% skill match · $120,230
Programming
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Computer and Information Research Scientists (84% skill match, median $140,300), Health Informatics Specialists (83% skill match, median $105,850) and Data Scientists (76% skill match, median $120,230), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
None of the 25 closest matches pays more than human factors engineers and ergonomists at the national median (BLS May 2025). Higher-paying moves usually need more training.
25 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.