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The differences between control systems engineers and communications engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a control systems engineer and a communications engineer. Additionally, a control systems engineer has an average salary of $92,727, which is higher than the $83,540 average annual salary of a communications engineer.
The top three skills for a control systems engineer include PLC, HMI and C++. The most important skills for a communications engineer are RF, unified communications, and unity.
| Control Systems Engineer | Communications Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $92,727 | $83,540 |
| Hourly rate | $44.58 | $40.16 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 133,220 | 71,942 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Control systems engineers are interdisciplinary engineers managing the company's control systems. They are expected to be familiar with different engineering disciplines such as mechanical, industrial, and computer science, among others. They are responsible for designing systems based on the company's requirements. Control systems engineers must conduct feasibility studies to ensure that the company's requirements can be met. They are also responsible for developing the systems, creating prototypes, and testing. They test whether the control systems produce desired results. After testing, control systems engineers implement the system and conduct routine maintenance checks.
The duties of a communications engineer depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. Their responsibilities typically revolve around designing and developing new systems to optimize operations, performing research and assessments to identify company needs, determining the strengths and weaknesses of existing systems, and providing solutions on issues and concerns. Furthermore, as a communications engineer, it is essential to perform regular maintenance checks to ensure a safe and productive work environment, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Control systems engineers and communications engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Control Systems Engineer | Communications Engineer | |
| Average salary | $92,727 | $83,540 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $118,000 | Between $62,000 And $111,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Shearman & Sterling |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Finance |
There are a few differences between a control systems engineer and a communications engineer in terms of educational background:
| Control Systems Engineer | Communications Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between control systems engineers' and communications engineers' demographics:
| Control Systems Engineer | Communications Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.5% Female, 9.5% | Male, 88.7% Female, 11.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 15.4% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |