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The differences between controls engineers and electronics 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 an electronics engineer. Additionally, an electronics engineer has an average salary of $93,985, 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 an electronics engineer are analog, RF, and power electronics.
| Controls Engineer | Electronics Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,532 | $93,985 |
| Hourly rate | $40.64 | $45.19 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 50,203 | 83,870 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| 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.
An electronics engineer specializes in designing and developing electronic components and systems, ensuring efficiency in all aspects. They are primarily responsible for conducting tests and maintenance for systems, identifying any faults or inconsistencies, and performing corrective measures right away. Moreover, an electronics engineer must coordinate with clients to consult them on their needs and meet with other skilled engineers to ensure optimal quality of equipment. An electronics engineer may also perform administrative tasks, mainly to produce progress reports and presentations, manage schedules, and craft instructional written materials for all electronic systems.
Controls engineers and electronics engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Controls Engineer | Electronics Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,532 | $93,985 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $111,000 | Between $68,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | Berkeley, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a controls engineer and an electronics engineer in terms of educational background:
| Controls Engineer | Electronics Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between controls engineers' and electronics engineers' demographics:
| Controls Engineer | Electronics Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% |
| 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, 11.4% Asian, 15.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |