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The differences between senior controls 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 controls engineer and a special project engineer. Additionally, a senior controls engineer has an average salary of $107,298, which is higher than the $70,934 average annual salary of a special project engineer.
The top three skills for a senior controls engineer include control systems, HMI and C++. The most important skills for a special project engineer are DOD, design changes, and engineering support.
| Senior Controls Engineer | Special Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $107,298 | $70,934 |
| Hourly rate | $51.59 | $34.10 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 39,440 | 90,999 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| 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 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 controls engineers and special project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Controls Engineer | Special Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $107,298 | $70,934 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $138,000 | Between $52,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Newark, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Sagent Pharmaceuticals | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a senior controls engineer and a special project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Controls Engineer | Special Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between senior controls engineers' and special project engineers' demographics:
| Senior Controls Engineer | Special Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.6% Female, 15.4% | Male, 65.9% Female, 34.1% |
| 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, 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% |