Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between controls engineers and manufacturing 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 a manufacturing engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a controls engineer has an average salary of $84,532, which is higher than the $78,522 average annual salary of a manufacturing engineer.
The top three skills for a controls engineer include C++, troubleshoot and UL. The most important skills for a manufacturing engineer are lean manufacturing, CAD, and solidworks.
| Controls Engineer | Manufacturing Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,532 | $78,522 |
| Hourly rate | $40.64 | $37.75 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 50,203 | 115,384 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 45 | 43 |
| 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.
Manufacturing Engineers are responsible for handling and developing an efficient manufacturing system or procedure that will help a company produce up to standard products while in adherence to the policies, regulations, and expected cost and schedule. Furthermore, Manufacturing Engineers must also monitor quality control, identify or detect errors, provide and suggest improvements, oversee the procurement of materials involved in the production, and coordinate with various teams or departments within the company to ensure the effectiveness of innovations or new developments.
Controls engineers and manufacturing engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Controls Engineer | Manufacturing Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,532 | $78,522 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $111,000 | Between $60,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a controls engineer and a manufacturing engineer in terms of educational background:
| Controls Engineer | Manufacturing Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between controls engineers' and manufacturing engineers' demographics:
| Controls Engineer | Manufacturing Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% | Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2% |
| 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, 4.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 17.0% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |