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The differences between controls engineers and controls designers 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 engineer and a controls designer. Additionally, a controls designer has an average salary of $91,944, which is higher than the $84,532 average annual salary of a controls engineer.
The top three skills for a controls engineer include C++, troubleshoot and UL. The most important skills for a controls designer are PLC, control panels, and IDS.
| Controls Engineer | Controls Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,532 | $91,944 |
| Hourly rate | $40.64 | $44.20 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 50,203 | 79,729 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Controls Engineer is responsible for designing, developing, and supervising electrical control systems, machinery, and equipment. They oversee projects from initial concept to installation and commissioning.
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.
Controls engineers and controls designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Controls Engineer | Controls Designer | |
| Average salary | $84,532 | $91,944 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $111,000 | Between $69,000 And $121,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Apple | Visteon |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a controls engineer and a controls designer in terms of educational background:
| Controls Engineer | Controls Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between controls engineers' and controls designers' demographics:
| Controls Engineer | Controls Designer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% | Male, 86.5% Female, 13.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 14.5% White, 64.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |