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The differences between instrumentation & control engineers and controls engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an instrumentation & control engineer, becoming a controls engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an instrumentation & control engineer has an average salary of $92,464, which is higher than the $84,532 average annual salary of a controls engineer.
The top three skills for an instrumentation & control engineer include PLC, HMI and SCADA. The most important skills for a controls engineer are C++, troubleshoot, and UL.
| Instrumentation & Control Engineer | Controls Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $92,464 | $84,532 |
| Hourly rate | $44.45 | $40.64 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 51,065 | 50,203 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
An instrumentation and control engineer is responsible for installing and designing technical components for engineering systems that would support production and manufacturing processes. Instrumentation and control engineers inspect control systems, modify features and infrastructure, configure controllers, and run multiple quality checks to ensure stability and optimal performance. They must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially in developing system codes and analyzing programming languages to serve control functions and development. An instrumentation and control engineer also resolves system issues and write resolution reports for reference.
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.
Instrumentation & control engineers and controls engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instrumentation & Control Engineer | Controls Engineer | |
| Average salary | $92,464 | $84,532 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $121,000 | Between $64,000 And $111,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Marathon Petroleum | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an instrumentation & control engineer and a controls engineer in terms of educational background:
| Instrumentation & Control Engineer | Controls Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between instrumentation & control engineers' and controls engineers' demographics:
| Instrumentation & Control Engineer | Controls Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.2% Female, 9.8% | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 14.5% White, 64.9% 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% |