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The differences between senior control systems engineers and special project 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 senior control systems engineer and a special project engineer. Additionally, a senior control systems engineer has an average salary of $109,721, which is higher than the $70,934 average annual salary of a special project engineer.
The top three skills for a senior control systems engineer include MATLAB, C++ and project management. The most important skills for a special project engineer are DOD, design changes, and engineering support.
| Senior Control Systems Engineer | Special Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $109,721 | $70,934 |
| Hourly rate | $52.75 | $34.10 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 154,439 | 90,999 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
As senior control systems engineer's main task is to provide automatic solutions to their company through technologies such as DCS, PLC, and custom-built panels. They are responsible for designing and analyzing control systems for their company and identifying any potential issues. They troubleshoot the malfunctions within the control systems of the company. In addition to that, they provide the company with system designs and engineering tasks.
A special project engineer is in-charged in the preparation, scheduling, coordination, and monitoring of engineering projects. He/She or she should be able to establish good relationships with prospective clients to gain information on engineering requirements and delegate tasks to staff. The core skills that a special project engineer should possess include good creative ability and excellent mechanical and listening skills. Other requirements to qualify for the position include a college degree in business or mechanical engineering.
Senior control systems engineers and special project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Control Systems Engineer | Special Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $109,721 | $70,934 |
| Salary range | Between $84,000 And $142,000 | Between $52,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Newark, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Apple | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a senior control systems engineer and a special project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Control Systems Engineer | Special Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between senior control systems engineers' and special project engineers' demographics:
| Senior Control Systems Engineer | Special Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.1% Female, 6.9% | Male, 65.9% Female, 34.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 14.9% White, 64.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 10.3% White, 72.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |