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The differences between controls designers and project 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 controls designer and a project controls engineer. Additionally, a controls designer has an average salary of $91,944, which is higher than the $86,685 average annual salary of a project controls engineer.
The top three skills for a controls designer include PLC, control panels and IDS. The most important skills for a project controls engineer are project controls, project management, and construction management.
| Controls Designer | Project Controls Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $91,944 | $86,685 |
| Hourly rate | $44.20 | $41.68 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 79,729 | 38,974 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Controls designers both design and draft systems of hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical controls for equipment and machines. The designers make diagrams of the logic system for timing and sequence control. They illustrate and describe details for installation and maintenance, such as bearing lubrication and lubrication types. It is part of their job to review schematics with the representatives of customers to answer questions during robot system installation. Also, they may design energy conversion controls.
A Project Controls Engineer creates project cost reports and progress charts. These professionals interpret the company contract and deal with the existing cost control database and financial risk. Project Controls Engineers reconcile and organize the project cost information with the clients' status reports. Also, they evaluate cash flow reports and project cost reports prepared by CMA.
Controls designers and project controls engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Controls Designer | Project Controls Engineer | |
| Average salary | $91,944 | $86,685 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $121,000 | Between $63,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | California |
| Best paying company | Visteon | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a controls designer and a project controls engineer in terms of educational background:
| Controls Designer | Project Controls Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between controls designers' and project controls engineers' demographics:
| Controls Designer | Project Controls Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.5% Female, 13.5% | Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 17.7% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |