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The differences between project planners and project 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 a project planner, becoming a project controls engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a project planner has an average salary of $86,926, which is higher than the $86,685 average annual salary of a project controls engineer.
The top three skills for a project planner include project management, project planning and microsoft project. The most important skills for a project controls engineer are project controls, project management, and construction management.
| Project Planner | Project Controls Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $86,926 | $86,685 |
| Hourly rate | $41.79 | $41.68 |
| Growth rate | -3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 56,558 | 38,974 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
A project planner is responsible for determining project management procedures according to business requirements and client specifications. Project planners schedule deliverables of outputs for every milestone to ensure that the team follows the track of guidelines, adhering to the company policies and project plans. They write status reports, conduct cost expenses analysis, and strategize techniques in maximizing the team's productivity and efficiency. A project planner also identifies opportunities to improve project workloads and adjust procedures as necessary to meet the highest goals and objectives.
A Project Controls Engineer creates project cost reports and progress charts. These professionals interpret the company contract and deal with the existing cost control database and financial risk. Project Controls Engineers reconcile and organize the project cost information with the clients' status reports. Also, they evaluate cash flow reports and project cost reports prepared by CMA.
Project planners and project controls engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Planner | Project Controls Engineer | |
| Average salary | $86,926 | $86,685 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $118,000 | Between $63,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | Davis, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Novo Nordisk | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Energy |
There are a few differences between a project planner and a project controls engineer in terms of educational background:
| Project Planner | Project Controls Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between project planners' and project controls engineers' demographics:
| Project Planner | Project Controls Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.1% Female, 34.9% | Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 7.0% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 6% |