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Job outlook for project controls engineers in the United States
Project controls engineer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected project controls engineer job growth rate is 3% from 2018-2028.
About 9,800 new jobs for project controls engineers are projected over the next decade.
Project controls engineer salaries have increased 8% for project controls engineers in the last 5 years.
There are over 23,208 project controls engineers currently employed in the United States.
There are 38,974 active project controls engineer job openings in the US.
The average project controls engineer salary is $86,685.
Are project controls engineer jobs in demand?
Project controls engineer job and salary trends over time
Project controls engineer jobs over time
Project controls engineer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 23,208 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 24,193 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 25,028 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 24,571 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 23,910 | 0.01% |
Average project controls engineer salary over time
Project controls engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $86,685 | $41.68 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $85,097 | $40.91 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | $82,784 | $39.80 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $82,364 | $39.60 | +3.0% |
| 2021 | $79,970 | $38.45 | +1.0% |
Project controls engineer jobs by state
Most common states for project controls engineers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 277 | 40% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 128 | 21% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 264 | 20% |
| 4 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 148 | 20% |
| 5 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,069 | 19% |
| 6 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 112 | 19% |
| 7 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 186 | 18% |
| 8 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,731 | 17% |
| 9 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,008 | 17% |
| 10 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 327 | 17% |
| 11 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 182 | 17% |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,802 | 14% |
| 13 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 431 | 14% |
| 14 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 294 | 14% |
| 15 | Texas | 28,304,596 | 3,725 | 13% |
| 16 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 1,335 | 13% |
| 17 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 869 | 13% |
| 18 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 769 | 13% |
| 19 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 616 | 13% |
| 20 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 223 | 13% |
Most common cities for project controls engineers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oak Ridge | 1 | 3% | $69,172 |
| 2 | Grand Junction | 1 | 2% | $95,407 |
| 3 | Idaho Falls | 1 | 2% | $79,741 |
| 4 | Clinton | 1 | 1% | $88,823 |
| 5 | Fort Myers | 1 | 1% | $92,423 |
| 6 | Kalamazoo | 1 | 1% | $87,793 |
| 7 | Milpitas | 1 | 1% | $114,917 |
| 8 | Anchorage | 1 | 0% | $90,522 |
| 9 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $79,657 |
| 10 | Aurora | 1 | 0% | $88,672 |
| 11 | Bakersfield | 1 | 0% | $108,400 |
| 12 | Birmingham | 1 | 0% | $77,609 |
| 13 | Montgomery | 1 | 0% | $79,251 |
| 14 | New York | 1 | 0% | $75,649 |
| 15 | Orlando | 1 | 0% | $93,005 |
Project Controls Engineer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of project controls engineer experts
The University of Texas at Arlington
University of Alabama at Huntsville
Weber State University
Pennsylvania State University
University of Michigan
Colorado School of Mines
AACEI
What Project Controls Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Bijan Shapoorian: Staying up to date with the new software and available technology remains as one of the major challenges in this industry. Most software offer online tutorials.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Project Controls Engineer job market given the pandemic?
Bijan Shapoorian: Construction Management as a profession involves performance of several different tasks such as Cost Estimating, Planning and Scheduling, Supervision and Inspections to name a few. Some tasks such as cost estimating and planning and scheduling can be conducted remotely while some tasks such as supervision and inspection remain face to face. Recent pandemic along with the increased usage of technological tools have influenced the method of conduct for many professions and businesses. However, construction management will not be going through a transition as fast as some other profession such as Engineering and Architectural services. This is due to the nature of this profession.
Michael Anderson
Department chairUniversity of Alabama at Huntsville
Department of civil and environmental engineering
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Project Controls Engineers?
Michael Anderson: Obviously the Fundamental of Engineering Exam is vital. Senior Design course and the role of the individual is important. During an interview the ability to speak to your contribution on the project, both technical and management is key to impressing a potential employer.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Project Controls Engineer job market given the pandemic?
Michael Anderson: The biggest trend is employers want motivated employees. Given the pandemic and the inability to work in typical office settings, employers need employees that have the self-motivation to work remotely.
How have salaries changed over time for Project Controls Engineers?
Michael Anderson: They have risen. Civil Engineering salaries for entry-level positions have almost doubled in the last 25 years.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Project Controls Engineers?
Dr. A. Tye Gardner Ph.D.: The effect of the pandemic on the electrical engineering job market heavily depends on location, since some industries are thriving and others are struggling. However, more companies than ever are moving towards automation, machine learning, and AI driven solutions. Electrical engineers are well suited to all of these positions, particularly for those with graduate degrees. Recent surveys have indicated that the pandemic has been a bigger influence on technological innovation inside of companies than any other factor, so expect rapid growth in electrical engineering careers, limited more by the lack of graduates than a lack of jobs.
Additionally, for better or worse, expect the work environment to change as companies re-evaluate whether they really need as many applications engineers as they have. On a brighter note, expect more work from home positions to be created. Whether these positions stick around is yet to be seen, but I side with the majority when I say I think they will. It's hard to get skilled workers to live where land and taxes are cheap, but not so hard to convince them to work from home.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Project Controls Engineers?
Dr. A. Tye Gardner Ph.D.: Locally (and I suspect nationally), we're seeing a boom in the demand for systems engineers: those that can bring together a diversity of skills and manage a project. These positions have traditionally gone to skilled engineers with a decade of experience or more, but the shortfall in experienced systems engineers has resulted in new grads working in these positions. Getting a certification in systems engineering will allow students to capitalize on the opportunity.
What will help Project Controls Engineers increase their earning potential?
Dr. A. Tye Gardner Ph.D.: Getting a master's degree goes a long way to making candidates stand out and improving earnings. My recommendation is to tailor your MS degree to the specific field you're interested in working in, because employers really want to see candidates that are passionate about the field, and very few people survive a graduate degree without at least a little passion. Available salary data indicates that if you choose an affordable program (let's just say Weber State University), it takes only a few years to pay off the added cost, increases starting salaries, and dramatically improves long-term earning potential. Moreover, you can find electrical engineers with MBAs at C-level positions all over the country. It turns out being an EE makes you a good candidate for business leadership.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Project Controls Engineer job market given the pandemic?
Martin Pietrucha Ph.D.: One of the biggest trends that we will see is lesser reliance on brick and mortar office space for hosting workplace activities. While this will be a general trend, this will be particularly true in the civil engineering field since infrastructure is "outside," which already oriented many civil engineering activities toward "field" work. Further, as many engineering planning and design activities are solitary pursuits, working remotely on those tasks makes a great deal of sense. Design review, public involvement, and the like are activities that require social interaction. These undertakings will be better practiced in group settings like an office or public meeting space.
What technical skills for a Project Controls Engineer stand out to employers?
Martin Pietrucha Ph.D.: Given this trend, employers will be looking for the usual superior engineering knowledge and skill sets, but they will also be interested in those who can prove that they are excellent self-starters and time managers. Being able to demonstrate one's "flexibility" and an ability to think on one's feet will also be highly desirable.
What's a good job out of college for Project Controls Engineers?
Martin Pietrucha Ph.D.: Any job when you are getting out of college is a good job. Government, consulting, small organization, large organization-each of these provide valuable experience for the engineer just starting out in a career. There is something to be learned from each of these fundamentally different kinds of experiences. In government service, you get great exposure to the regulatory side of the field. In consulting, you get to experience the business aspects of engineering and client relations. In a big organization, you get to bore down and develop some very specific expertise in a technical area. In a small firm, you get to do a little bit of everything.
Brian Denton Ph.D.
Professor and Department ChairUniversity of Michigan
Department of Industrial and Operations Engineering
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Project Controls Engineer job market given the pandemic?
Brian Denton Ph.D.: The job market remains strong for our students. Perhaps there will be less hiring in areas most affected by the pandemic (e.g. sports, events management, restaurant chains, airlines and other transportation companies). On the other hand, our students are often hired to work on opportunities for creating greater efficiencies, and reducing costs, so opportunities may still be strong in these areas.
What soft skills should all Project Controls Engineers possess?
Brian Denton Ph.D.: Communications, both written and verbal, are always important. So is leadership training, teamwork, and resilience. We expose our students to all of these topics, often referring to them as "essential skills" to make it clear how important they are.
What's a day at work look like for a Project Controls Engineer?
Brian Denton Ph.D.: It really depends on the specific job, but a common theme for grads from our department would include analyzing data to understand operations of an industrial system, working with non-engineers to develop an understanding of business goals, and developing a data driven model that can be used to support decision making.
M. Stephen Enders Ph.D.
Professor & Department HeadColorado School of Mines
Mining Engineering Department
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Project Controls Engineers to find work opportunities?
M. Stephen Enders Ph.D.: All states have some type of mining operations even if they are quarries for sand & gravel operations. The states that have very strong mining industries include: Nevada, Arizona, California, Texas, Florida, and many others.
In the U.S. mining industry, there are >2 jobs for each mining engineering graduate. This has been about the same for the past 10+ years and is not expected to change in the foreseeable future. Similar situations exist worldwide.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Project Controls Engineer job market given the pandemic?
M. Stephen Enders Ph.D.: The pandemic has caused slow-downs and some shutdowns as a result of COVID infections; but otherwise, the robust market for metals and minerals continues to be strong. This is due to several factors, the most news-worthy has been the continued strength of Chinese demand in the shorter term and from the energy transition and need for critical minerals in the longer term. I believe the job market for upcoming graduates who want a career in the mining and mineral exploration business will be strong in 2021.
See this recent article:
reuters
What skills stand out on Project Controls Engineer resumes?
M. Stephen Enders Ph.D.: The most important thing that stands out in resumes is past job experiences, particularly student internships in relevant companies. This demonstrates a student's ability to work safely and effectively in the workplace. The companies that employ our students expect them to have a fundamental proficiency in the basic sciences and mathematics as well as in the principles of engineering. Although this is necessary, it is not sufficient for most companies. They prefer graduates with demonstrated strong interpersonal, communication, teamwork, problem solving and critical thinking skills. They also want to see evidence that graduates can integrate and analyze multidisciplinary datasets, and they would really like to see computer coding and modeling expertise. On top of all of these attributes, companies also want to hire leaders and those who have a fundamental understanding or societal issues that impact their industry. This is a lot to expect. Students can get some of this from coursework and active participation in student clubs and other organizations.
Additionally: Presentation skills - written and oral. Management skills - CSM mining engineers have 3 to 4 courses focusing on management (mine operations, safety, construction and project mgt.), plus opportunities to work as crew fore(wo)men at the Edgar mine, where they get to lead small teams of junior classmates and assume responsibility for safety and job completion.
What type of skills will young Project Controls Engineers need?
Chris P. Caddell: I anticipate the basic technical skills will largely be the same as today. However, I expect graduates will need greater familiarity with configuring software. This skill will be moving from an IT-exclusive capability to a useful skill that new graduates will need. From a softer skills perspective, young graduates will need to be self-motivated, self-aware, and outspoken. As our world moves to more remote working, graduates will need to be self-motivated because there may be no one (physically) there to push them. They will need to be self-aware of when they are struggling and need help. And they will need to be outspoken about asking for help when they need it and making sure they make their voices heard.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Project Controls Engineers to find work opportunities?
Chris P. Caddell: The best places for graduates to find work in the cost estimating field, at least for construction, is dependent in part on the industry. Smaller owners and contractors are prevalent throughout the U.S. in cities and large towns. Major cities continue to be the hub for owners and contractors that are involved with major construction projects. Houston, Atlanta, Denver, and Philadelphia are some of the more active cities, but it really depends.
How do you envision technology impacting Project Controls Engineers in the next 5 years?
Chris P. Caddell: I think we are moving in a direction to be able to capture more data on projects and using that to inform our future cost estimates. The ability to analyze large amounts of data will be critical to improving our estimating process. As technology starts to influence our construction techniques, our older estimating guides and metrics will become antiquated and no longer valid. Some new technology is helping to improve estimating through improved visualization of the data and the actual work to be performed. So technology will influence both the actual construction work and how we estimate it.