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The differences between mechanical systems engineers and control systems engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a mechanical systems engineer and a control systems engineer. Additionally, a control systems engineer has an average salary of $92,727, which is higher than the $85,387 average annual salary of a mechanical systems engineer.
The top three skills for a mechanical systems engineer include mechanical systems, CAD and system design. The most important skills for a control systems engineer are PLC, HMI, and C++.
| Mechanical Systems Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,387 | $92,727 |
| Hourly rate | $41.05 | $44.58 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 158,980 | 133,220 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A mechanical systems engineer is responsible for designing tools and equipment, overseeing manufacturing processes, and running quality checks on the products to ensure adherence to business requirements and guidelines. Mechanical systems engineers analyze blueprints and specifications to recommend cost-reduction techniques and materials for production. They also inspect the operating systems and performance of equipment, resolving machinery failures, and modifying designs to improve feasibility. A mechanical systems engineer must have excellent technical and organizational skills, especially on researching current trends to identify opportunities that would generate more revenue resources and increase the company's profits.
Control systems engineers are interdisciplinary engineers managing the company's control systems. They are expected to be familiar with different engineering disciplines such as mechanical, industrial, and computer science, among others. They are responsible for designing systems based on the company's requirements. Control systems engineers must conduct feasibility studies to ensure that the company's requirements can be met. They are also responsible for developing the systems, creating prototypes, and testing. They test whether the control systems produce desired results. After testing, control systems engineers implement the system and conduct routine maintenance checks.
Mechanical systems engineers and control systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanical Systems Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $85,387 | $92,727 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $115,000 | Between $72,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Zoox | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a mechanical systems engineer and a control systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Mechanical Systems Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between mechanical systems engineers' and control systems engineers' demographics:
| Mechanical Systems Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.5% Female, 8.5% | Male, 90.5% Female, 9.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 12.8% White, 70.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 5.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 15.4% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 6% |