Industrial technology is a field of study designed to prepare technical and/or management oriented professionals for employment in business, industry, education, and government. Industrial technology is primarily involved with the management, operation, and maintenance of complex technological systems, whereas engineering and engineering technology are primarily involved with the design and installation of these systems.

Many two- and four-year colleges offer degrees in this field, often in electronics, safety, construction, computer systems, manufacturing, CAD/CAM, vehicle design, and graphics.

Planning and designing manufacturing processes and equipment is a main aspect of being an industrial technologist. An Industrial Technologist is the engineer's partner in implementing certain designs and processes. Industrial Technology involves management operation, and maintenance of complex operation systems.

Engineering Technologists are involved with the design and installation of those certain operation systems.

The National Association of Industrial Technology (NAIT), accredits selected collegiate programs in Industrial Technology. Additionally, an instructor or graduate of an Industrial Technology program may choose to become a Certified Industrial Technologist by sitting for a rigorous exam administered by NAIT and covering essential topics in the field.

The NAIT accreditation is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and holds the same acknowledgement that is given to the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET).

CHEA recognizes NAIT and ABET as independent fields which are equal in academic stature but have different objectives in focus and career intentions. It is fitting to conclude that an Industrial Technologist is equal in intellectual distinction to that of an engineer because of the classification of the CHEA acknowledgement.

Industrial Technology includes wide-ranging subject matter and could be viewed as an amalgamation of industrial engineering and business topics with a focus on practicality and management of technical systems with less focus on actual engineering of those systems.

Typical curriculum at a four-year university might include courses on manufacturing process, technology and impact on society, mechanical and electronic systems, quality assurance and control, materials science, packaging, production and operations management, and manufacturing facility planning and design.

In addition, the Industrial Technologist may have exposure to more vocational-style education in the form of courses on CNC manufacturing, welding, and other tools-of-the-trade in manufacturing.

This differentiates the field of Industrial Technology from other engineering and business disciplines. Graduates of Industrial Technology programs are seen as moderators between engineers, top management and production-line workers.