Best states for a controls engineer

Q: What is the best state for controls engineers?

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

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

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

Q: What is the worst state for controls engineers?

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

Rank 1 - 10
11 - 20
21 - 30
31 - 40
41 - 51

It seems like controls engineers are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for controls engineers aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. We wanted to look at the best states for controls engineers -- where there are plenty of controls engineer jobs to go around and controls engineers get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.

We figured that the best places for controls engineer jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the Midwest is best for controls engineers, and the West is the worst. Palo Alto, CA is the best city in the country for controls engineer jobs, where as California is the best state in the country.

10 best states for controls engineers in 2025

1. California
Total controls engineer jobs: 4,848
Average annual salary: $106,451
Lowest 10 percent earn: $78,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000
Location Quotient:
1.98
Controls engineer jobs in California
2. Washington
Total controls engineer jobs: 815
Average annual salary: $98,052
Lowest 10 percent earn: $73,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000
Location Quotient:
1.34
Controls engineer jobs in Washington
3. New Mexico
Total controls engineer jobs: 138
Average annual salary: $97,177
Lowest 10 percent earn: $72,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $129,000
Location Quotient:
0.84
Controls engineer jobs in New Mexico
4. Texas
Total controls engineer jobs: 1,650
Average annual salary: $91,645
Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $122,000
Location Quotient:
0.98
Controls engineer jobs in Texas
5. Michigan
Total controls engineer jobs: 818
Average annual salary: $87,552
Lowest 10 percent earn: $66,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000
Location Quotient:
1.26
Controls engineer jobs in Michigan
6. Massachusetts
Total controls engineer jobs: 883
Average annual salary: $92,999
Lowest 10 percent earn: $70,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $122,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Controls engineer jobs in Massachusetts
7. Arizona
Total controls engineer jobs: 732
Average annual salary: $88,028
Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $117,000
Location Quotient:
1.5
Controls engineer jobs in Arizona
8. Virginia
Total controls engineer jobs: 1,226
Average annual salary: $87,750
Lowest 10 percent earn: $66,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $116,000
Location Quotient:
1.56
Controls engineer jobs in Virginia
9. Alabama
Total controls engineer jobs: 409
Average annual salary: $84,871
Lowest 10 percent earn: $63,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $112,000
Location Quotient:
1.11
Controls engineer jobs in Alabama
10. District of Columbia
Total controls engineer jobs: 238
Average annual salary: $94,181
Lowest 10 percent earn: $71,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000
Location Quotient:
1.7
Controls engineer jobs in District of Columbia

Controls engineer jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a controls engineer

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

Detailed list of the best states for a controls engineer

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	California	$106,451	$78,000	39,536,653	4,848
2	Washington	$98,052	$73,000	7,405,743	815
3	New Mexico	$97,177	$72,000	2,088,070	138
4	Texas	$91,645	$68,000	28,304,596	1,650
5	Michigan	$87,552	$66,000	9,962,311	818
6	Massachusetts	$92,999	$70,000	6,859,819	883
7	Arizona	$88,028	$65,000	7,016,270	732
8	Virginia	$87,750	$66,000	8,470,020	1,226
9	Alabama	$84,871	$63,000	4,874,747	409
10	District of Columbia	$94,181	$71,000	693,972	238
11	Nevada	$88,793	$65,000	2,998,039	129
12	Rhode Island	$92,300	$69,000	1,059,639	54
13	Colorado	$85,462	$65,000	5,607,154	778
14	New Hampshire	$86,302	$65,000	1,342,795	110
15	North Dakota	$85,972	$67,000	755,393	48
16	Maryland	$87,406	$66,000	6,052,177	817
17	New Jersey	$90,661	$68,000	9,005,644	383
18	Alaska	$86,529	$71,000	739,795	45
19	Vermont	$84,989	$64,000	623,657	43
20	Delaware	$81,853	$61,000	961,939	104
21	Connecticut	$82,262	$62,000	3,588,184	254
22	Utah	$77,681	$58,000	3,101,833	309
23	Pennsylvania	$78,901	$59,000	12,805,537	603
24	Oklahoma	$82,313	$62,000	3,930,864	114
25	Arkansas	$79,779	$60,000	3,004,279	101
26	Idaho	$79,345	$59,000	1,716,943	74
27	Florida	$78,793	$58,000	20,984,400	999
28	Wyoming	$75,510	$57,000	579,315	42
29	New York	$78,824	$59,000	19,849,399	928
30	Hawaii	$82,814	$66,000	1,427,538	51
31	Ohio	$74,772	$56,000	11,658,609	636
32	Minnesota	$77,126	$59,000	5,576,606	430
33	Georgia	$76,277	$57,000	10,429,379	690
34	Illinois	$78,104	$60,000	12,802,023	727
35	North Carolina	$74,540	$56,000	10,273,419	634
36	Missouri	$77,296	$59,000	6,113,532	289
37	Mississippi	$76,101	$57,000	2,984,100	64
38	Indiana	$73,957	$56,000	6,666,818	386
39	Maine	$77,480	$58,000	1,335,907	58
40	Oregon	$70,458	$52,000	4,142,776	447
41	Iowa	$72,208	$55,000	3,145,711	210
42	Tennessee	$72,463	$55,000	6,715,984	247
43	West Virginia	$72,170	$54,000	1,815,857	44
44	Wisconsin	$64,507	$49,000	5,795,483	461
45	South Carolina	$72,605	$54,000	5,024,369	231
46	Nebraska	$72,067	$55,000	1,920,076	98
47	Kansas	$70,630	$54,000	2,913,123	146
48	Kentucky	$70,023	$53,000	4,454,189	165
49	Louisiana	$63,987	$47,000	4,684,333	88
50	Montana	$56,962	$43,000	1,050,493	44
51	South Dakota	$58,188	$45,000	869,666	28

Highest paying states for controls engineers

Rank	State	Avg. Controls Engineer Salary
1	California	$106,451
2	Washington	$98,052
3	New Mexico	$97,177
4	Texas	$91,645
5	Michigan	$87,552
6	Massachusetts	$92,999
7	Arizona	$88,028
8	Virginia	$87,750
9	Alabama	$84,871
10	District of Columbia	$94,181
11	Nevada	$88,793
12	Rhode Island	$92,300
13	Colorado	$85,462
14	New Hampshire	$86,302
15	North Dakota	$85,972
16	Maryland	$87,406
17	New Jersey	$90,661
18	Alaska	$86,529
19	Vermont	$84,989
20	Delaware	$81,853
21	Connecticut	$82,262
22	Utah	$77,681
23	Pennsylvania	$78,901
24	Oklahoma	$82,313
25	Arkansas	$79,779
26	Idaho	$79,345
27	Florida	$78,793
28	Wyoming	$75,510
29	New York	$78,824
30	Hawaii	$82,814
31	Ohio	$74,772
32	Minnesota	$77,126
33	Georgia	$76,277
34	Illinois	$78,104
35	North Carolina	$74,540
36	Missouri	$77,296
37	Mississippi	$76,101
38	Indiana	$73,957
39	Maine	$77,480
40	Oregon	$70,458
41	Iowa	$72,208
42	Tennessee	$72,463
43	West Virginia	$72,170
44	Wisconsin	$64,507
45	South Carolina	$72,605
46	Nebraska	$72,067
47	Kansas	$70,630
48	Kentucky	$70,023
49	Louisiana	$63,987
50	Montana	$56,962
51	South Dakota	$58,188

Controls engineer best states FAQs

What is the best state for controls engineers?

What is the highest paying state for controls engineers?

What is the worst state for controls engineers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.

Search for controls engineer jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse architecture and engineering jobs

Total controls engineer jobs:	4,848
Average annual salary:	$106,451
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$78,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$144,000
Location Quotient:	1.98

Best states for a controls engineer

10 best states for controls engineers in 2025

1. California

2. Washington

3. New Mexico

4. Texas

5. Michigan

6. Massachusetts

7. Arizona

8. Virginia

9. Alabama

10. District of Columbia