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The differences between digital systems engineers and controls designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a digital systems engineer and a controls designer. Additionally, a digital systems engineer has an average salary of $109,672, which is higher than the $91,944 average annual salary of a controls designer.
The top three skills for a digital systems engineer include RF, MATLAB and java. The most important skills for a controls designer are PLC, control panels, and IDS.
| Digital Systems Engineer | Controls Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $109,672 | $91,944 |
| Hourly rate | $52.73 | $44.20 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 125,204 | 79,729 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Digital Systems Engineer's job is to manage and monitor an organization's computer infrastructure and systems. They install, configure, test, and maintain all application software, system management tools, and operating systems. They are responsible for providing guidelines about security measures, user interface, and system capabilities. Other duties that they will perform include evaluating existing systems for efficiency and effectiveness, providing recommendations for scalability, and troubleshooting any system errors and problems that may arise.
Controls designers both design and draft systems of hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical controls for equipment and machines. The designers make diagrams of the logic system for timing and sequence control. They illustrate and describe details for installation and maintenance, such as bearing lubrication and lubrication types. It is part of their job to review schematics with the representatives of customers to answer questions during robot system installation. Also, they may design energy conversion controls.
Digital systems engineers and controls designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Digital Systems Engineer | Controls Designer | |
| Average salary | $109,672 | $91,944 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $146,000 | Between $69,000 And $121,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sunnyvale, CA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Apple | Visteon |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Technology |
There are a few differences between a digital systems engineer and a controls designer in terms of educational background:
| Digital Systems Engineer | Controls Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between digital systems engineers' and controls designers' demographics:
| Digital Systems Engineer | Controls Designer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.7% Female, 12.3% | Male, 86.5% Female, 13.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 17.7% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |