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The differences between optical design 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 an optical design engineer and a control systems engineer. Additionally, an optical design engineer has an average salary of $94,750, which is higher than the $92,727 average annual salary of a control systems engineer.
The top three skills for an optical design engineer include optical design, MATLAB and zemax. The most important skills for a control systems engineer are PLC, HMI, and C++.
| Optical Design Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $94,750 | $92,727 |
| Hourly rate | $45.55 | $44.58 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 49,731 | 133,220 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An optical design engineer is an optics specialists who uses their scientific skills to design solutions and solve optical problems. Optical design engineers are essential in the field of laser technology, telescopes, optical lenses, and fiber optics. You will be responsible for designing and building devices that enable better utilization of optics technology and requires in-depth scientific optical knowledge as well as high technical design abilities. Optical design engineers are problem solvers in the field of optics.
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.
Optical design engineers and control systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Optical Design Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $94,750 | $92,727 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $125,000 | Between $72,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an optical design engineer and a control systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Optical Design Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between optical design engineers' and control systems engineers' demographics:
| Optical Design Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.5% Female, 19.5% | Male, 90.5% Female, 9.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 17.2% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 6% | 6% |