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The role of a Senior Controls Engineer is crucial in various industries, including manufacturing, aerospace, and robotics. As of October 2025, the average salary for this position stands at $107,298 annually. This figure can vary based on factors such as geographic location, experience level, and the specific sector of employment.
In states like California and Texas, Senior Controls Engineers often earn higher salaries compared to the national average. Industries such as automotive and energy also tend to offer competitive compensation packages.
For those seeking to advance their careers, opportunities abound in fields like automation, process control, and systems integration. Employers are increasingly looking for professionals with expertise in the latest technologies and methodologies.
Understanding salary trends can assist in making informed career decisions. To explore job opportunities and salary estimates for Senior Controls Engineers, visit Zippia for comprehensive career resources.
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The average senior controls engineer salary in California, Rhode Island, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average senior controls engineer salary states are Indiana, Wisconsin, and Kentucky.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $133,342 | $64.11 |
| 2 | Washington | $118,417 | $56.93 |
| 3 | Arizona | $113,752 | $54.69 |
| 4 | Texas | $114,865 | $55.22 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $111,229 | $53.48 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $117,024 | $56.26 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $126,893 | $61.01 |
| 8 | Michigan | $103,181 | $49.61 |
| 9 | Nevada | $113,237 | $54.44 |
| 10 | Maryland | $111,415 | $53.56 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $102,569 | $49.31 |
| 12 | Utah | $98,530 | $47.37 |
| 13 | Virginia | $101,601 | $48.85 |
| 14 | Florida | $102,657 | $49.35 |
| 15 | Delaware | $99,899 | $48.03 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $110,391 | $53.07 |
| 17 | Alabama | $94,139 | $45.26 |
| 18 | Maine | $99,569 | $47.87 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $96,189 | $46.24 |
| 20 | Colorado | $96,687 | $46.48 |
| 21 | Alaska | $101,449 | $48.77 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $92,145 | $44.30 |
| 23 | New York | $99,141 | $47.66 |
| 24 | Idaho | $99,141 | $47.66 |
| 25 | Vermont | $96,154 | $46.23 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $95,047 | $45.70 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $103,074 | $49.55 |
| 28 | Missouri | $95,421 | $45.88 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $93,397 | $44.90 |
| 30 | Connecticut | $94,077 | $45.23 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $91,063 | $43.78 |
| 32 | Oregon | $90,028 | $43.28 |
| 33 | Georgia | $89,444 | $43.00 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $91,760 | $44.12 |
| 35 | Illinois | $90,731 | $43.62 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $88,669 | $42.63 |
| 37 | Ohio | $85,116 | $40.92 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $85,856 | $41.28 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $88,900 | $42.74 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $86,812 | $41.74 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $89,859 | $43.20 |
| 42 | Iowa | $84,832 | $40.78 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $75,401 | $36.25 |
| 44 | Indiana | $81,305 | $39.09 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $84,430 | $40.59 |
| 46 | Kansas | $83,769 | $40.27 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $82,126 | $39.48 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $72,924 | $35.06 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $74,571 | $35.85 |
| 50 | Montana | $70,089 | $33.70 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $70,169 | $33.74 |
The highest-paying cities for senior controls engineers are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $141,830 | $68.19 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $118,997 | $57.21 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $117,091 | $56.29 |
| 4 | Austin, TX | $115,197 | $55.38 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $111,376 | $53.55 |
| 6 | Troy, MI | $103,451 | $49.74 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $99,269 | $47.73 |
| 8 | Denver, CO | $96,471 | $46.38 |
| 9 | Manchester, NH | $96,209 | $46.25 |
| 10 | Saint Louis, MO | $95,377 | $45.85 |
| 11 | Minneapolis, MN | $93,400 | $44.90 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $90,953 | $43.73 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $89,421 | $42.99 |
| 14 | Portland, OR | $89,410 | $42.99 |
| 15 | Raleigh, NC | $86,216 | $41.45 |
| 16 | Columbus, OH | $84,562 | $40.65 |
| 17 | Greenville, SC | $84,233 | $40.50 |
| 18 | Indianapolis, IN | $81,157 | $39.02 |
A senior controls engineer's salary ranges from $82,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $138,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $138,000 | $11,500 | $66 |
| 75th Percentile | $122,000 | $10,167 | $59 |
| Average | $107,298 | $8,942 | $52 |
| 25th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
| 10th Percentile | $82,000 | $6,833 | $39 |
The highest paying types of senior controls engineers are staff design engineer, senior electrical engineer, and asic design engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering Trainee | $60,235 | $5,020 | $28.96 | 79,966 |
| Radio Frequency Engineer | $88,301 | $7,358 | $42.45 | 35,158 |
| Circuit Design Engineer | $107,694 | $8,975 | $51.78 | 70,906 |
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Asic Design Engineer | $109,252 | $9,104 | $52.53 | 71,370 |
| Staff Design Engineer | $128,071 | $10,673 | $61.57 | 154,963 |
Top companies hiring senior controls engineers now:
Senior controls engineer salaries at Sagent Pharmaceuticals and Intuitive Surgical are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior controls engineer salary at companies like Rivian and Microsoft are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sagent Pharmaceuticals | $139,938 | $67.28 |
| 2 | Intuitive Surgical | $135,147 | $64.97 |
| 3 | Rivian | $131,117 | $63.04 |
| 4 | Microsoft | $130,143 | $62.57 |
| 5 | Seres | $129,570 | $62.29 |
| 6 | Vicarious | $125,424 | $60.30 |
| 7 | Citi | $124,697 | $59.95 |
| 8 | BlueCrest Capital Management | $124,207 | $59.71 |
| 9 | Tesla | $122,963 | $59.12 |
| 10 | BorgWarner | $122,800 | $59.04 |
| 11 | ViacomCBS | $122,526 | $58.91 |
| 12 | Nikola Motor | $121,779 | $58.55 |
| 13 | Lucid Motors | $121,034 | $58.19 |
| 14 | Nexteer Automotive | $120,904 | $58.13 |
| 15 | Nordstrom | $120,297 | $57.84 |
| 16 | Oshkosh | $118,801 | $57.12 |
| 17 | City National Bank | $118,744 | $57.09 |
| 18 | Dana Incorporated | $118,143 | $56.80 |
| 19 | FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies | $118,140 | $56.80 |
| 20 | Allison Transmission | $116,973 | $56.24 |
The average senior controls engineer salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Automotive | $109,075 | $52.44 |
| 2 | Technology | $100,986 | $48.55 |
| 3 | Finance | $98,347 | $47.28 |
| 4 | Professional | $96,736 | $46.51 |
| 5 | Manufacturing | $95,113 | $45.73 |
The average senior controls engineer salary has risen by $16,004 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior controls engineer earned $91,294 annually, but today, they earn $107,298 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for senior controls engineers over the last decade.
Compare senior controls engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare senior controls engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $107,000 | $51.59 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $105,000 | $50.64 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $102,000 | $49.26 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $102,000 | $49.01 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $99,000 | $47.59 | +0.9% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomenergy | Senior Controls Engineer | San Jose, CA | 06/30/2025 | $110,700 |
| Carrier | Senior Controls Software Engineer | Lisle, IL | 06/30/2025 | $92,856 |
| Jeppesen | Senior Guidance Navigation and Control Engineer | Berkeley, MO | 06/30/2025 | $153,000 |
| Jeppesen | Guidance Navigation & Control Engineer, Experienced, Lead, or Senior Levels | El Segundo, CA | 06/30/2025 | $164,050 |
| Solectron Corp | SR. Controls Engineer-Medical Devices | Buffalo Grove, IL | 06/30/2025 | $142,300 |
| Kion Group | Senior Controls Engineer-Commissioning | Grand Rapids, MI | 06/30/2025 | $100,500 |
| Daifuku North America Holding Company | Senior Controls Engineer II (Remote) | Bolingbrook, IL | 06/29/2025 | $110,000 |
| Anduril Industries | Senior Controls Automation Engineer | Reston, VA | 06/29/2025 | $132,000 |
| Redwood Materials | Senior Controls Engineer, Cathode | San Francisco, CA | 06/29/2025 | $90,000 |
| Latitude Inc. | SR Controller (Manufacturing) | Baltimore, MD | 06/29/2025 | $160,000 |
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