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The differences between control systems engineers and senior controls 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 senior controls engineer. Additionally, a senior controls engineer has an average salary of $107,298, which is higher than the $92,727 average annual salary of a control systems engineer.
The top three skills for a control systems engineer include PLC, HMI and C++. The most important skills for a senior controls engineer are control systems, HMI, and C++.
| Control Systems Engineer | Senior Controls Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $92,727 | $107,298 |
| Hourly rate | $44.58 | $51.59 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 133,220 | 39,440 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| 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.
A senior controls engineer specializes in designing and developing control systems in various industries. Their responsibilities typically include identifying and understanding the company's needs, producing prototypes and test structures, gathering and analyzing data to identify areas needing improvement, implementing solutions in vulnerable areas, and providing technical support when necessary. Furthermore, as a senior controls engineer, it is essential to lead and serve as a mentor to junior engineers, all while enforcing the company's policies and regulations.
Control systems engineers and senior controls engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Control Systems Engineer | Senior Controls Engineer | |
| Average salary | $92,727 | $107,298 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $118,000 | Between $82,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Sagent Pharmaceuticals |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a control systems engineer and a senior controls engineer in terms of educational background:
| Control Systems Engineer | Senior Controls Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between control systems engineers' and senior controls engineers' demographics:
| Control Systems Engineer | Senior Controls Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.5% Female, 9.5% | Male, 84.6% Female, 15.4% |
| 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, 4.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 14.5% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |