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The differences between electrical controls engineers and electrical project engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an electrical controls engineer and an electrical project engineer. Additionally, an electrical project engineer has an average salary of $84,342, 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 an electrical project engineer are project management, autocad, and PLC.
| Electrical Controls Engineer | Electrical Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $82,681 | $84,342 |
| Hourly rate | $39.75 | $40.55 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 54,037 | 67,802 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
Electrical Project Engineers have licensed engineers involved in a project which specifically works on electrical or electricity-related concerns. They design the electrical systems that are needed for the success of the project. They draw up these systems using software and identify the materials needed to create these. They would then develop these systems by creating them using the materials and test if their design is working. Once they validate the design works and address the project's needs, electrical project engineers would work on controlling, maintaining, and repairing these systems as needed.
Electrical controls engineers and electrical project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Controls Engineer | Electrical Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $82,681 | $84,342 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $108,000 | Between $64,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Tallgrass Energy | Amazon |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between an electrical controls engineer and an electrical project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Controls Engineer | Electrical Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between electrical controls engineers' and electrical project engineers' demographics:
| Electrical Controls Engineer | Electrical Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% | Male, 92.9% Female, 7.1% |
| 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, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |