Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between electrical controls engineers and senior electrical 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 a senior electrical engineer. Additionally, a senior electrical engineer has an average salary of $109,315, 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 senior electrical engineer are control systems, electrical equipment, and electrical systems.
| Electrical Controls Engineer | Senior Electrical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $82,681 | $109,315 |
| Hourly rate | $39.75 | $52.56 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 54,037 | 82,639 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| 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.
A senior electrical engineer is an individual who leads other engineers to review electrical design plans and analyze existing electrical systems. Senior electrical engineers must establish relationships with clients, vendors, and suppliers to ensure that projects are completed according to specifications. They create project budgets and produce working schedules and company regulations to make sure that a safe and positive working environment is achieved. Senior electrical engineers must be passionate about engineering development by attending electrical conferences and events.
Electrical controls engineers and senior electrical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Controls Engineer | Senior Electrical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $82,681 | $109,315 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $108,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | Tallgrass Energy | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between an electrical controls engineer and a senior electrical engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Controls Engineer | Senior Electrical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| 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 senior electrical engineers' demographics:
| Electrical Controls Engineer | Senior Electrical Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% | Male, 93.7% Female, 6.3% |
| 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, 11.3% Asian, 15.5% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |