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Electrical electronics engineers vs controls engineer

The differences between electrical electronics engineers and controls engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an electrical electronics engineers and a controls engineer. Additionally, an electrical electronics engineers has an average salary of $86,399, which is higher than the $84,532 average annual salary of a controls engineer.

The top three skills for an electrical electronics engineers include electrical components, analog and C++. The most important skills for a controls engineer are C++, troubleshoot, and UL.

Electrical electronics engineers vs controls engineer overview

Electrical Electronics EngineersControls Engineer
Yearly salary$86,399$84,532
Hourly rate$41.54$40.64
Growth rate3%3%
Number of jobs50,38150,203
Job satisfaction-4
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 63%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age4545
Years of experience66

What does an electrical electronics engineers do?

An electrical electronics engineer is responsible for designing, creating, and developing devices such as computers, mobile phones, and portable audio devices. As an electrical electronics engineer, you will design and manage equipment for controlling and monitoring systems, machinery, and systems. Additionally, you will plan projects and prepare and manage budgets for these projects. Other duties that you will likely perform include providing recommendations about design modifications, designing software to simplify certain engineering tasks, and testing system capabilities and finished products.

What does a controls engineer do?

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 electronics engineers vs controls engineer salary

Electrical electronics engineers and controls engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Electrical Electronics EngineersControls Engineer
Average salary$86,399$84,532
Salary rangeBetween $66,000 And $111,000Between $64,000 And $111,000
Highest paying CitySan Ramon, CAPalo Alto, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companyBorgWarnerApple
Best paying industryAutomotiveAutomotive

Differences between electrical electronics engineers and controls engineer education

There are a few differences between an electrical electronics engineers and a controls engineer in terms of educational background:

Electrical Electronics EngineersControls Engineer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 63%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common majorElectrical EngineeringElectrical Engineering
Most common collegeNortheastern UniversityGeorgia Institute of Technology

Electrical electronics engineers vs controls engineer demographics

Here are the differences between electrical electronics engineers' and controls engineers' demographics:

Electrical Electronics EngineersControls Engineer
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 89.9% Female, 10.1%Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% 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, 11.1% Asian, 14.5% White, 64.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between electrical electronics engineers and controls engineer duties and responsibilities

Electrical electronics engineers example responsibilities.

  • Coordinate with senior electrical engineers and achieve hands-on experience on coal fire plant power generation and power transformers, circuit breakers.
  • Design and implement analog and digital electronic laser control systems.
  • Experience with the entire 3 MHz to 110 GHz RF frequencyrange as well as some EO/IR relate.
  • Build, test and troubleshoot equipment to the component level.
  • Assist electrical engineers in multiple projects, such as installing HVAC systems.
  • Test and validation of designs to FCC, UL and other approval agency requirements.
  • Show more

Controls engineer example responsibilities.

  • Lead team to upgrade new syringe lines to current OSHA and NFPA safety standards.
  • Lead a team of 12 programmers to validate a common library of 70 DeltaV modules.
  • Promote to manage the advanced process control (APC) program, responsible for the generation of $30MM per year.
  • Establish communication links and prepare machines for bench-testing to attain UL certification.
  • Design electrical controls using Allen-Bradley PLC for automatic filling of emergency breathing air bottles.
  • Complete system design, installation, troubleshooting and technical support of PC and PLC control automated and robotic manufacturing equipment.
  • Show more

Electrical electronics engineers vs controls engineer skills

Common electrical electronics engineers skills
  • Electrical Components, 8%
  • Analog, 7%
  • C++, 7%
  • Power Electronics, 7%
  • CAD, 5%
  • Circuit Design, 4%
Common controls engineer skills
  • C++, 8%
  • Troubleshoot, 6%
  • UL, 5%
  • Hmi Programming, 4%
  • MATLAB, 4%
  • Simulink, 4%

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