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The differences between systems 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 systems engineer, becoming a control systems engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a control systems engineer has an average salary of $92,727, which is higher than the $82,834 average annual salary of a systems engineer.
The top three skills for a systems engineer include python, linux and C++. The most important skills for a control systems engineer are PLC, HMI, and C++.
| Systems Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $82,834 | $92,727 |
| Hourly rate | $39.82 | $44.58 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 145,936 | 133,220 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 39 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
Systems engineers are responsible for creating and overseeing systems related to the overall operations of the organization. They are in charge of assessing the organization's needs in terms of systems and creating plans to address these needs. These systems are usually related to the production or manufacturing of company products. Systems engineers create end-to-end processes that ensure efficiency and effectiveness. They make sure that the processes they put in place adhere to safety and security policies and guidelines. They also do routine checks and continuously find ways to further improve production and other systems.
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.
Systems engineers and control systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Systems Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $82,834 | $92,727 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $109,000 | Between $72,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a systems engineer and a control systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Systems Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between systems engineers' and control systems engineers' demographics:
| Systems Engineer | Control Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.1% Female, 13.9% | Male, 90.5% Female, 9.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.7% White, 52.1% 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 | 8% | 6% |