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The differences between controls design engineers and design 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 controls design engineer and a design engineer. Additionally, a controls design engineer has an average salary of $90,850, which is higher than the $77,134 average annual salary of a design engineer.
The top three skills for a controls design engineer include autocad, PLC and CAD. The most important skills for a design engineer are C++, UL, and project management.
| Controls Design Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $90,850 | $77,134 |
| Hourly rate | $43.68 | $37.08 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 95,461 | 138,173 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
It is the responsibility of a controls design engineer to research and design a company's new systems and products. Controls design engineers oversee the production of complicated equipment and systems. They perform tests and analyze the design use associated with the system's element function. Part of their job is to seek consistent system results and operation within specific tolerances. They also draft blueprints, oversee manufacturing processes, and establish test prototypes.
A design engineer is responsible for creating systems and applications based on their expertise. Design engineers work through client specifications based on business needs. A design engineer also provides recommendations on improving existing systems to boost its performance and increase efficiency. Design engineers must have an excellent command of computer systems, programming codes, and technical data to ensure the system's stability and high-quality processes. A design engineer should also have strong analytical and time-management skills to perform tasks and meet deadlines.
Controls design engineers and design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Controls Design Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $90,850 | $77,134 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $119,000 | Between $57,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | Cupertino, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a controls design engineer and a design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Controls Design Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between controls design engineers' and design engineers' demographics:
| Controls Design Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.6% Female, 10.4% | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |