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The differences between controls engineers and senior controls 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 senior controls engineer. Additionally, a senior controls engineer has an average salary of $107,298, 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 senior controls engineer are control systems, HMI, and C++.
| Controls Engineer | Senior Controls Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,532 | $107,298 |
| Hourly rate | $40.64 | $51.59 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 50,203 | 39,440 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| 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 senior controls engineer specializes in designing and developing control systems in various industries. Their responsibilities typically include identifying and understanding the company's needs, producing prototypes and test structures, gathering and analyzing data to identify areas needing improvement, implementing solutions in vulnerable areas, and providing technical support when necessary. Furthermore, as a senior controls engineer, it is essential to lead and serve as a mentor to junior engineers, all while enforcing the company's policies and regulations.
Controls engineers and senior controls engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Controls Engineer | Senior Controls Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,532 | $107,298 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $111,000 | Between $82,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Sagent Pharmaceuticals |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a controls engineer and a senior controls engineer in terms of educational background:
| Controls Engineer | Senior Controls Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between controls engineers' and senior controls engineers' demographics:
| Controls Engineer | Senior Controls Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% | Male, 84.6% Female, 15.4% |
| 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, 4.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 14.5% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |