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The differences between substations electrical engineers and electrical controls engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a substations electrical engineer and an electrical controls engineer. Additionally, a substations electrical engineer has an average salary of $88,149, which is higher than the $82,681 average annual salary of an electrical controls engineer.
The top three skills for a substations electrical engineer include IEEE, ac and dc. The most important skills for an electrical controls engineer are HMI, PLC, and allen-bradley.
| Substations Electrical Engineer | Electrical Controls Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,149 | $82,681 |
| Hourly rate | $42.38 | $39.75 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 44,451 | 54,037 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Substation electrical engineers are engineering professionals who design medium and high voltage substations that are used to transmit and distribute electricity. These engineers are required to maintain substation equipment specifications that are according to the current industry standards and operating policies. They must review design drawings and perform load analysis to select the overall platform's power requirements. Substation electrical engineers must also provide cost estimates for substation projects as well as prepare layout drawings for future substation expansion.
An electrical controls engineer is responsible for monitoring the efficiency and optimal performance of the organization's electrical tools and equipment, usually in manufacturing and warehouse settings. Electrical controls engineers use their excellent analytical and statistical skills to analyze operational processes and suggest production improvement techniques maximize productivity and reduce service delays. They conduct preventive maintenance on the equipment and machinery, including network and system configuration, to increase efficiency and accuracy. An electrical controls engineer maintains operational reports, including equipment and machinery instructional manuals for reference.
Substations electrical engineers and electrical controls engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Substations Electrical Engineer | Electrical Controls Engineer | |
| Average salary | $88,149 | $82,681 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $112,000 | Between $62,000 And $108,000 |
| Highest paying City | Albuquerque, NM | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Kiewit | Tallgrass Energy |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a substations electrical engineer and an electrical controls engineer in terms of educational background:
| Substations Electrical Engineer | Electrical Controls Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between substations electrical engineers' and electrical controls engineers' demographics:
| Substations Electrical Engineer | Electrical Controls Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 16.5% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |