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The differences between controls engineers and project 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 project engineer. Additionally, a controls engineer has an average salary of $84,532, which is higher than the $75,050 average annual salary of a project engineer.
The top three skills for a controls engineer include C++, troubleshoot and UL. The most important skills for a project engineer are project management, autocad, and construction management.
| Controls Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,532 | $75,050 |
| Hourly rate | $40.64 | $36.08 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 50,203 | 176,689 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| 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 Project Engineer develops the plan that the entire team or company will undertake. The project engineer develops the plans, strategies, and goals of a project and then gives it to the management for approval and allocation. The Project Engineer will also recommend material, equipment, and the type of personnel needed. This position is integral in the smooth flow of any project, so hiring someone to hold this position will decide the success of a project.
Controls engineers and project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Controls Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,532 | $75,050 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $111,000 | Between $55,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Energy |
There are a few differences between a controls engineer and a project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Controls Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between controls engineers' and project engineers' demographics:
| Controls Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% |
| 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, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 14.5% White, 68.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |