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Control electrician vs lead electrician

The differences between control electricians and lead electricians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a control electrician and a lead electrician. Additionally, a control electrician has an average salary of $59,247, which is higher than the $56,709 average annual salary of a lead electrician.

The top three skills for a control electrician include PLC, electrical equipment and hand tools. The most important skills for a lead electrician are electrical equipment, hand tools, and electrical systems.

Control electrician vs lead electrician overview

Control ElectricianLead Electrician
Yearly salary$59,247$56,709
Hourly rate$28.48$27.26
Growth rate7%7%
Number of jobs46,94918,158
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 43%Associate Degree, 33%
Average age4242
Years of experience1212

What does a control electrician do?

A control electrician primarily installs, repairs, and maintains electrical equipment, fixtures, and wiring. Control electricians maintain serviced and programmed PLC machine and lighting systems. Their tasks may include installing or servicing intercom systems, electrical control systems, or street lights. They make sure that their work complies with the significant codes. Part of their job is to operate power hand tools as well as other electrical equipment. Also, they may work on the external and internal electrical systems including circuit breaker panels and emergency generator circuits.

What does a lead electrician do?

A Lead Electrician is the one who does the maintenance, inspection, and repair, and installation of needed equipment and other electric-related things. They are the one who supervises and monitors the job of the Electrician, plans and takes action to every happening and problem that they can encounter. They also do the planning of schedule and the process of conducting an equipment check-up and maintenance. Also, they need to be knowledgeable when it comes to repairing and installing needed material and equipment.

Control electrician vs lead electrician salary

Control electricians and lead electricians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Control ElectricianLead Electrician
Average salary$59,247$56,709
Salary rangeBetween $43,000 And $81,000Between $38,000 And $84,000
Highest paying City-Berkeley, CA
Highest paying state-Vermont
Best paying company-Ameresco
Best paying industry-Energy

Differences between control electrician and lead electrician education

There are a few differences between a control electrician and a lead electrician in terms of educational background:

Control ElectricianLead Electrician
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 43%Associate Degree, 33%
Most common majorElectrical Engineering TechnologyElectrical Engineering Technology
Most common college--

Control electrician vs lead electrician demographics

Here are the differences between control electricians' and lead electricians' demographics:

Control ElectricianLead Electrician
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 97.3% Female, 2.7%Male, 97.4% Female, 2.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 2.2% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 2.2% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage3%3%

Differences between control electrician and lead electrician duties and responsibilities

Control electrician example responsibilities.

  • Install electrical conduit (e.g., rigid and EMT piping) and commercial HVAC systems.
  • Inspect, diagnose and repair substations and motor control centers, Allen-Bradley PLC's and ac/dc drives.
  • Bend and install EMT, rigid, PVC, boxes, cabinets, and gutters.
  • Pull wire, hang cable tray, runconduit (robroy, rigid, emt).
  • Develop HMI applications using Wonderware Intouch.
  • Design motor controls to NEC code.
  • Show more

Lead electrician example responsibilities.

  • Remove, analyze, identify issue install properly working pressure transducers, effectively accomplishing priorities to go underway.
  • Run all types of electrical conduit for switches, lights, fire alarms, telephone, receptacles and HVAC units.
  • Resolve plumbing and none electrical issues.
  • Repair low pressure steam boilers, HVAC systems, cooling towers, waters system, and sump pumps.
  • Calculate proper size and specifications of wire, conduit, motor controls, switches, panels, and fuses.
  • Oversee all operations of the HVAC department including installation, repair of all HVAC equipment at several island locations.
  • Show more

Control electrician vs lead electrician skills

Common control electrician skills
  • PLC, 14%
  • Electrical Equipment, 11%
  • Hand Tools, 8%
  • Ac Dc, 5%
  • Control Panels, 5%
  • Delta, 5%
Common lead electrician skills
  • Electrical Equipment, 8%
  • Hand Tools, 8%
  • Electrical Systems, 8%
  • Ladders, 6%
  • EMT, 6%
  • PLC, 5%

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