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The differences between controls engineers and embedded engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a controls engineer, becoming an embedded engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an embedded engineer has an average salary of $95,419, 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 embedded engineer are python, C, and C++.
| Controls Engineer | Embedded Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,532 | $95,419 |
| Hourly rate | $40.64 | $45.87 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 50,203 | 24,338 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
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.
Embedded engineers are skilled professionals who are responsible for conducting all activities that are related to embedded systems. These engineers are required to design and configure hardware components of embedded systems such as processor, controller, memory, and serial communication port. They must participate in reviewing the requirements, design, and source code of embedded systems as well as identify opportunities for software process and development cycle time improvements. Embedded engineers must troubleshoot malfunctioning embedded systems while providing written updates to managers and their clients.
Controls engineers and embedded engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Controls Engineer | Embedded Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,532 | $95,419 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $111,000 | Between $72,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Professional |
There are a few differences between a controls engineer and an embedded engineer in terms of educational background:
| Controls Engineer | Embedded Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between controls engineers' and embedded engineers' demographics:
| Controls Engineer | Embedded Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| 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, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 31.7% White, 51.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |