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The differences between engineering technicians and controls technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an engineering technician, becoming a controls technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an engineering technician has an average salary of $60,273, which is higher than the $53,345 average annual salary of a controls technician.
The top three skills for an engineering technician include technical support, data collection and test equipment. The most important skills for a controls technician are PLC, control systems, and preventative maintenance.
| Engineering Technician | Controls Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $60,273 | $53,345 |
| Hourly rate | $28.98 | $25.65 |
| Growth rate | 3% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 111,343 | 53,158 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Associate Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
An Engineering Technician's duties vary according to the industry or company, whether mechanical, industrial, civil, agricultural, or more. However, most of the time, the responsibilities often revolve around resolving technical issues, working with and assisting Engineers in building, assembling, designing, gathering and testing data, and conducting more manual activities. Furthermore, Engineering Technicians can specialize and work in various fields after a certain training period, closely mentored or monitored by an engineer or someone with extensive expertise.
A controls technician is in charge of operating various systems within a building or facility. Although the responsibilities will vary upon the line of work or employment, the duties still revolve around using software to control types of machinery and systems such as manufacturing devices and equipment, even lighting and ventilation. It is crucial to coordinate with department managers and supervisors to avoid any technical problems and ensure a safe work environment for everyone.
Engineering technicians and controls technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engineering Technician | Controls Technician | |
| Average salary | $60,273 | $53,345 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $96,000 | Between $37,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Buffalo Grove, IL |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Western Digital | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between an engineering technician and a controls technician in terms of educational background:
| Engineering Technician | Controls Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Associate Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Purdue University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between engineering technicians' and controls technicians' demographics:
| Engineering Technician | Controls Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.9% Female, 14.1% | Male, 84.0% Female, 16.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 9.2% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |