Best states for a controls design engineer

Q: What is the best state for controls design engineers?

The best state to be a controls design engineer is California based on controls design engineer salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for controls design engineers?

The highest paying state for controls design engineers is Kentucky based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for controls design engineers?

The worst state for controls design engineers is Kentucky, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Jared Wilson

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Controls design engineer opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for controls design engineers, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for controls design engineers.In order to help you decide which state is the best for controls design engineers, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for controls design engineer jobs.

To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for controls design engineers. California is the best state for controls design engineers, where the median salary is $116,861.We found that California is the best state for controls design engineer jobs, whereas Kentucky is the worst.

10 best states for controls design engineers in 2025

1. California
Total controls design engineer jobs: 7,153
Average annual salary: $116,861
Lowest 10 percent earn: $86,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $158,000
Location Quotient:
2.66
Controls design engineer jobs in California
2. Arizona
Total controls design engineer jobs: 1,093
Average annual salary: $100,940
Lowest 10 percent earn: $75,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $134,000
Location Quotient:
2.03
Controls design engineer jobs in Arizona
3. District of Columbia
Total controls design engineer jobs: 304
Average annual salary: $111,981
Lowest 10 percent earn: $86,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $145,000
Location Quotient:
1.97
Controls design engineer jobs in District of Columbia
4. Washington
Total controls design engineer jobs: 1,354
Average annual salary: $101,220
Lowest 10 percent earn: $76,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000
Location Quotient:
2.02
Controls design engineer jobs in Washington
5. Nevada
Total controls design engineer jobs: 0
Average annual salary: $106,074
Lowest 10 percent earn: $78,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $143,000
Location Quotient:
0
Controls design engineer jobs in Nevada
6. Texas
Total controls design engineer jobs: 2,873
Average annual salary: $91,464
Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $121,000
Location Quotient:
1.54
Controls design engineer jobs in Texas
7. Idaho
Total controls design engineer jobs: 167
Average annual salary: $95,877
Lowest 10 percent earn: $72,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $127,000
Location Quotient:
1.11
Controls design engineer jobs in Idaho
8. Rhode Island
Total controls design engineer jobs: 113
Average annual salary: $95,078
Lowest 10 percent earn: $72,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000
Location Quotient:
1.01
Controls design engineer jobs in Rhode Island
9. Colorado
Total controls design engineer jobs: 1,054
Average annual salary: $90,064
Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000
Location Quotient:
1.93
Controls design engineer jobs in Colorado
10. Michigan
Total controls design engineer jobs: 0
Average annual salary: $89,448
Lowest 10 percent earn: $69,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000
Location Quotient:
0
Controls design engineer jobs in Michigan

Controls design engineer jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a controls design engineer

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a controls design engineer

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	California	$116,861	$86,000	39,536,653	7,153
2	Arizona	$100,940	$75,000	7,016,270	1,093
3	District of Columbia	$111,981	$86,000	693,972	304
4	Washington	$101,220	$76,000	7,405,743	1,354
5	Nevada	$106,074	$78,000	2,998,039	0
6	Texas	$91,464	$68,000	28,304,596	2,873
7	Idaho	$95,877	$72,000	1,716,943	167
8	Rhode Island	$95,078	$72,000	1,059,639	113
9	Colorado	$90,064	$68,000	5,607,154	1,054
10	Michigan	$89,448	$69,000	9,962,311	0
11	Alaska	$90,349	$77,000	739,795	93
12	Wyoming	$81,912	$62,000	579,315	87
13	New Mexico	$88,519	$66,000	2,088,070	0
14	Massachusetts	$91,309	$70,000	6,859,819	0
15	Delaware	$85,144	$65,000	961,939	179
16	Maine	$86,293	$66,000	1,335,907	0
17	New Hampshire	$86,607	$66,000	1,342,795	0
18	Oklahoma	$84,190	$64,000	3,930,864	0
19	New Jersey	$89,183	$68,000	9,005,644	0
20	Alabama	$79,265	$60,000	4,874,747	624
21	Hawaii	$91,437	$76,000	1,427,538	111
22	Minnesota	$85,769	$67,000	5,576,606	0
23	Maryland	$88,930	$68,000	6,052,177	0
24	Virginia	$81,706	$62,000	8,470,020	1,608
25	Tennessee	$78,158	$60,000	6,715,984	468
26	North Dakota	$77,687	$61,000	755,393	115
27	Missouri	$82,110	$63,000	6,113,532	0
28	Connecticut	$80,504	$61,000	3,588,184	470
29	Georgia	$77,249	$58,000	10,429,379	1,250
30	Oregon	$76,547	$57,000	4,142,776	833
31	Kansas	$78,263	$60,000	2,913,123	0
32	Pennsylvania	$76,267	$58,000	12,805,537	1,216
33	Arkansas	$75,326	$57,000	3,004,279	189
34	Mississippi	$75,447	$57,000	2,984,100	0
35	Louisiana	$75,824	$57,000	4,684,333	0
36	Vermont	$74,928	$57,000	623,657	92
37	Utah	$70,411	$52,000	3,101,833	554
38	Illinois	$76,103	$59,000	12,802,023	0
39	Iowa	$70,518	$54,000	3,145,711	428
40	Ohio	$72,400	$56,000	11,658,609	0
41	Wisconsin	$69,310	$54,000	5,795,483	787
42	South Carolina	$71,545	$54,000	5,024,369	471
43	New York	$76,112	$58,000	19,849,399	0
44	North Carolina	$72,101	$55,000	10,273,419	0
45	Indiana	$68,407	$53,000	6,666,818	717
46	Florida	$69,081	$51,000	20,984,400	1,706
47	Nebraska	$70,074	$54,000	1,920,076	0
48	Montana	$67,001	$51,000	1,050,493	0
49	West Virginia	$62,003	$47,000	1,815,857	90
50	South Dakota	$61,397	$47,000	869,666	72
51	Kentucky	$57,508	$44,000	4,454,189	0

Highest paying states for controls design engineers

Rank	State	Avg. Controls Design Engineer Salary
1	California	$116,861
2	Arizona	$100,940
3	District of Columbia	$111,981
4	Washington	$101,220
5	Nevada	$106,074
6	Texas	$91,464
7	Idaho	$95,877
8	Rhode Island	$95,078
9	Colorado	$90,064
10	Michigan	$89,448
11	Alaska	$90,349
12	Wyoming	$81,912
13	New Mexico	$88,519
14	Massachusetts	$91,309
15	Delaware	$85,144
16	Maine	$86,293
17	New Hampshire	$86,607
18	Oklahoma	$84,190
19	New Jersey	$89,183
20	Alabama	$79,265
21	Hawaii	$91,437
22	Minnesota	$85,769
23	Maryland	$88,930
24	Virginia	$81,706
25	Tennessee	$78,158
26	North Dakota	$77,687
27	Missouri	$82,110
28	Connecticut	$80,504
29	Georgia	$77,249
30	Oregon	$76,547
31	Kansas	$78,263
32	Pennsylvania	$76,267
33	Arkansas	$75,326
34	Mississippi	$75,447
35	Louisiana	$75,824
36	Vermont	$74,928
37	Utah	$70,411
38	Illinois	$76,103
39	Iowa	$70,518
40	Ohio	$72,400
41	Wisconsin	$69,310
42	South Carolina	$71,545
43	New York	$76,112
44	North Carolina	$72,101
45	Indiana	$68,407
46	Florida	$69,081
47	Nebraska	$70,074
48	Montana	$67,001
49	West Virginia	$62,003
50	South Dakota	$61,397
51	Kentucky	$57,508

Expert opinions on the best states for controls design engineers

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for controls design engineers to find work opportunities?
Jared Wilson
Assistant Professor and Faculty Coordinator, East Tennessee State University
Within the field of land surveying and related employment opportunities, work is available. However, in my experience, work may not be in the exact location a person wishes to live. So, a move may be necessary, or potentially traveling to where the work is located. Should a graduate, or person for that matter, want to work, work is available.

Controls design engineer best states FAQs

What is the best state for controls design engineers?

What is the highest paying state for controls design engineers?

What is the worst state for controls design engineers?

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Best states for Controls Design Engineers

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total controls design engineer jobs:	7,153
Average annual salary:	$116,861
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$86,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$158,000
Location Quotient:	2.66

Best states for a controls design engineer

10 best states for controls design engineers in 2025

1. California

2. Arizona

3. District of Columbia

4. Washington

5. Nevada

6. Texas

7. Idaho

8. Rhode Island

9. Colorado

10. Michigan