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The differences between electrical controls engineers and control systems engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an electrical controls engineer, becoming a control systems engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a control systems engineer has an average salary of $92,727, which is higher than the $82,681 average annual salary of an electrical controls engineer.
The top three skills for an electrical controls engineer include HMI, PLC and allen-bradley. The most important skills for a control systems engineer are PLC, HMI, and C++.
| Electrical Controls Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $82,681 | $92,727 |
| Hourly rate | $39.75 | $44.58 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 54,037 | 133,220 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
An electrical controls engineer is responsible for monitoring the efficiency and optimal performance of the organization's electrical tools and equipment, usually in manufacturing and warehouse settings. Electrical controls engineers use their excellent analytical and statistical skills to analyze operational processes and suggest production improvement techniques maximize productivity and reduce service delays. They conduct preventive maintenance on the equipment and machinery, including network and system configuration, to increase efficiency and accuracy. An electrical controls engineer maintains operational reports, including equipment and machinery instructional manuals for reference.
Control systems engineers are interdisciplinary engineers managing the company's control systems. They are expected to be familiar with different engineering disciplines such as mechanical, industrial, and computer science, among others. They are responsible for designing systems based on the company's requirements. Control systems engineers must conduct feasibility studies to ensure that the company's requirements can be met. They are also responsible for developing the systems, creating prototypes, and testing. They test whether the control systems produce desired results. After testing, control systems engineers implement the system and conduct routine maintenance checks.
Electrical controls engineers and control systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Controls Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $82,681 | $92,727 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $108,000 | Between $72,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Tallgrass Energy | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an electrical controls engineer and a control systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Controls Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between electrical controls engineers' and control systems engineers' demographics:
| Electrical Controls Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% | Male, 90.5% Female, 9.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 5.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 15.4% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |