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The differences between senior electrical engineers and control systems 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 senior electrical engineer, becoming a control systems engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior electrical engineer has an average salary of $109,315, which is higher than the $92,727 average annual salary of a control systems engineer.
The top three skills for a senior electrical engineer include control systems, electrical equipment and electrical systems. The most important skills for a control systems engineer are PLC, HMI, and C++.
| Senior Electrical Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $109,315 | $92,727 |
| Hourly rate | $52.56 | $44.58 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 82,639 | 133,220 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
A senior electrical engineer is an individual who leads other engineers to review electrical design plans and analyze existing electrical systems. Senior electrical engineers must establish relationships with clients, vendors, and suppliers to ensure that projects are completed according to specifications. They create project budgets and produce working schedules and company regulations to make sure that a safe and positive working environment is achieved. Senior electrical engineers must be passionate about engineering development by attending electrical conferences and events.
Control systems engineers are interdisciplinary engineers managing the company's control systems. They are expected to be familiar with different engineering disciplines such as mechanical, industrial, and computer science, among others. They are responsible for designing systems based on the company's requirements. Control systems engineers must conduct feasibility studies to ensure that the company's requirements can be met. They are also responsible for developing the systems, creating prototypes, and testing. They test whether the control systems produce desired results. After testing, control systems engineers implement the system and conduct routine maintenance checks.
Senior electrical engineers and control systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Electrical Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $109,315 | $92,727 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $144,000 | Between $72,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior electrical engineer and a control systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Electrical Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior electrical engineers' and control systems engineers' demographics:
| Senior Electrical Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.7% Female, 6.3% | Male, 90.5% Female, 9.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 15.5% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 5.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 15.4% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |