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The differences between electrical controls technicians and controls engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 8-10 years to become an electrical controls technician, becoming a controls engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a controls engineer has an average salary of $84,532, which is higher than the $61,087 average annual salary of an electrical controls technician.
The top three skills for an electrical controls technician include PLC, allen-bradley and electrical equipment. The most important skills for a controls engineer are C++, troubleshoot, and UL.
| Electrical Controls Technician | Controls Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $61,087 | $84,532 |
| Hourly rate | $29.37 | $40.64 |
| Growth rate | - | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 42,521 | 50,203 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 50 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 6 |
Electrical control technicians usually assist with running equipment such as those in amusement parks and carnivals. They can also repair equipment and are responsible for maintaining robotic machinery used by factories and plants for continuity of work and production. They can also install electrical wirings, troubleshoot minor glitches, and maintain good machine performance. With enough skills, they can shut down faulty wiring without interrupting other operations. They keep records of previous malfunctions and advise on the replacement of equipment.
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.
Electrical controls technicians and controls engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Controls Technician | Controls Engineer | |
| Average salary | $61,087 | $84,532 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $81,000 | Between $64,000 And $111,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fremont, CA | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Bunge | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an electrical controls technician and a controls engineer in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Controls Technician | Controls Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between electrical controls technicians' and controls engineers' demographics:
| Electrical Controls Technician | Controls Engineer | |
| Average age | 50 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.4% Female, 3.6% | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |