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The differences between telecommunication engineers and controls designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a telecommunication engineer and a controls designer. Additionally, a controls designer has an average salary of $91,944, which is higher than the $80,789 average annual salary of a telecommunication engineer.
The top three skills for a telecommunication engineer include telecommunication, voip and RF. The most important skills for a controls designer are PLC, control panels, and IDS.
| Telecommunication Engineer | Controls Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $80,789 | $91,944 |
| Hourly rate | $38.84 | $44.20 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 28,331 | 79,729 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A telecommunication engineer is responsible for installing, testing, and repairing telecommunication systems including mobile telephone networks and fiber optic and digital satellite systems. Your day-to-day duties include diagnosing and troubleshooting systems faults, installing static and mobile antennae on masts and buildings, and designing, developing, and testing telecommunications equipment and components. As a telecommunication engineer, you are also required to provide guidance and support to telecommunication installers to ensure quality. You are also responsible for providing recommendations to upgrade outdated equipment.
Controls designers both design and draft systems of hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical controls for equipment and machines. The designers make diagrams of the logic system for timing and sequence control. They illustrate and describe details for installation and maintenance, such as bearing lubrication and lubrication types. It is part of their job to review schematics with the representatives of customers to answer questions during robot system installation. Also, they may design energy conversion controls.
Telecommunication engineers and controls designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Telecommunication Engineer | Controls Designer | |
| Average salary | $80,789 | $91,944 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $109,000 | Between $69,000 And $121,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Apple | Visteon |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a telecommunication engineer and a controls designer in terms of educational background:
| Telecommunication Engineer | Controls Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between telecommunication engineers' and controls designers' demographics:
| Telecommunication Engineer | Controls Designer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.7% Female, 12.3% | Male, 86.5% Female, 13.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 17.7% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |