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The differences between controls engineers and cost 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 engineer and a cost engineer. Additionally, a cost engineer has an average salary of $87,901, 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 cost engineer are project management, cost analysis, and construction management.
| Controls Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,532 | $87,901 |
| Hourly rate | $40.64 | $42.26 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 50,203 | 65,278 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| 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.
A cost engineer is responsible for projecting cost and expenses reports for the production process, identify and mitigate risks, and develop strategic techniques to reduce the excessive financial loss for project buildings. Cost engineers conduct data and statistical analysis to measure time deliverables and quality checks to ensure profitability and adherence to business objectives. They research and negotiate materials from trusted suppliers and vendors with high-quality products that would meet construction designs and client specifications.
Controls engineers and cost engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Controls Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,532 | $87,901 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $111,000 | Between $64,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Apple | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Energy |
There are a few differences between a controls engineer and a cost engineer in terms of educational background:
| Controls Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between controls engineers' and cost engineers' demographics:
| Controls Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% | Male, 74.1% Female, 25.9% |
| 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, 4.9% 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% |