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The differences between engineering trainees 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 engineering trainee and a controls engineer. Additionally, a controls engineer has an average salary of $84,532, which is higher than the $60,235 average annual salary of an engineering trainee.
The top three skills for an engineering trainee include fire protection, technical support and R. The most important skills for a controls engineer are C++, troubleshoot, and UL.
| Engineering Trainee | Controls Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $60,235 | $84,532 |
| Hourly rate | $28.96 | $40.64 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 79,966 | 50,203 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An engineering trainee is responsible for shadowing engineers in their duties and performing administrative tasks as needed. Engineering trainees assist the engineers in inspecting construction sites and conducting field research. They also identify cost-efficient materials and resources that meet quality standards and client specifications. An engineering trainee must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing reports, attending meetings, and ensuring that all reports are submitted for management's reviews, such as contracts from suppliers and vendors.
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.
Engineering trainees and controls engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engineering Trainee | Controls Engineer | |
| Average salary | $60,235 | $84,532 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $82,000 | Between $64,000 And $111,000 |
| Highest paying City | Livingston, NJ | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Crown Holdings | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an engineering trainee and a controls engineer in terms of educational background:
| Engineering Trainee | Controls Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between engineering trainees' and controls engineers' demographics:
| Engineering Trainee | Controls Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.0% Female, 20.0% | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 25.1% White, 57.0% 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 Percentage | 6% | 6% |