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The differences between senior controls engineers and circuit design 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 controls engineer and a circuit design engineer. Additionally, a circuit design engineer has an average salary of $107,694, which is higher than the $107,298 average annual salary of a senior controls engineer.
The top three skills for a senior controls engineer include control systems, HMI and C++. The most important skills for a circuit design engineer are circuit design, CMOS, and RF.
| Senior Controls Engineer | Circuit Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $107,298 | $107,694 |
| Hourly rate | $51.59 | $51.78 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 39,440 | 70,906 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A senior controls engineer specializes in designing and developing control systems in various industries. Their responsibilities typically include identifying and understanding the company's needs, producing prototypes and test structures, gathering and analyzing data to identify areas needing improvement, implementing solutions in vulnerable areas, and providing technical support when necessary. Furthermore, as a senior controls engineer, it is essential to lead and serve as a mentor to junior engineers, all while enforcing the company's policies and regulations.
A circuit design engineer specializes in designing and developing electrical components and circuits in devices and machinery. Among their responsibilities include identifying the needs of every project, developing strategies to attain optimal quality, developing diagrams and test structures, troubleshooting, and repairing issues. They must also perform regular maintenance checks on existing systems and perform upgrades and corrective measures as needed. Moreover, a circuit design engineer typically works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Senior controls engineers and circuit design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Controls Engineer | Circuit Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $107,298 | $107,694 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $138,000 | Between $84,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Federal Way, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Sagent Pharmaceuticals | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior controls engineer and a circuit design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Controls Engineer | Circuit Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between senior controls engineers' and circuit design engineers' demographics:
| Senior Controls Engineer | Circuit Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.6% Female, 15.4% | Male, 74.4% Female, 25.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 14.5% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 19.9% White, 60.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |