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Wireless engineer vs controls designer

The differences between wireless 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 wireless engineer and a controls designer. Additionally, a wireless engineer has an average salary of $103,718, which is higher than the $91,944 average annual salary of a controls designer.

The top three skills for a wireless engineer include IP, switches and WLAN. The most important skills for a controls designer are PLC, control panels, and IDS.

Wireless engineer vs controls designer overview

Wireless EngineerControls Designer
Yearly salary$103,718$91,944
Hourly rate$49.86$44.20
Growth rate3%3%
Number of jobs24,28979,729
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Average age4545
Years of experience66

What does a wireless engineer do?

A wireless service engineer is an individual who provides support to Internet and wireless phone subscribers in a specific area. The job of a wireless engineer is to make sure that wireless coverage in a zone remains active, linking all users with their subscription speed and signal strength. The task of a wireless service engineer includes the inspection, monitoring and maintenance of all wireless equipment and facilities in a given area. Wireless networks are an important part of many communities today, particularly as the increase in mobile phone users is at a record level.

What does a controls designer do?

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.

Wireless engineer vs controls designer salary

Wireless engineers and controls designers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Wireless EngineerControls Designer
Average salary$103,718$91,944
Salary rangeBetween $76,000 And $140,000Between $69,000 And $121,000
Highest paying CityFairfield, CASan Jose, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaRhode Island
Best paying companyMetaVisteon
Best paying industryStart-upTechnology

Differences between wireless engineer and controls designer education

There are a few differences between a wireless engineer and a controls designer in terms of educational background:

Wireless EngineerControls Designer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common majorElectrical EngineeringElectrical Engineering
Most common collegeNortheastern UniversityCarnegie Mellon University

Wireless engineer vs controls designer demographics

Here are the differences between wireless engineers' and controls designers' demographics:

Wireless EngineerControls Designer
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 93.6% Female, 6.4%Male, 86.5% Female, 13.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.9% White, 64.2% 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 Percentage6%6%

Differences between wireless engineer and controls designer duties and responsibilities

Wireless engineer example responsibilities.

  • Process improvement efforts and/or other opportunities to automate these processes with computer applications with C++ and/or Java where applicable.
  • Lead safety meetings daily with MW crews.
  • Travel to remote locations to troubleshoot network devices.
  • Circuit simulation and test of amplifiers and mixers.
  • Man the war room accepting MW links and preparing ring audits for commissioning efforts.
  • Act as the government lead for contractor engineers and technicians supporting work on SATCOM programs.
  • Show more

Controls designer example responsibilities.

  • Establish communication links and prepare machines for bench-testing to attain UL certification.
  • Engineer, draft, modify PLC programs and HMI programs, create schematics, test software with customer to their satisfaction.
  • Create the simulation with SolidWorks.
  • Create and deploy disk images for latest SolidWorks releases as needed.
  • Develop applications for HVAC, semiconductor, industrial coatings, medical, and renewable and sustainable industries.
  • Lead designer assign to smaller projects at various plants dealing with instrumentation, PLS and DCS upgrades / modifications.
  • Show more

Wireless engineer vs controls designer skills

Common wireless engineer skills
  • IP, 8%
  • Switches, 7%
  • WLAN, 7%
  • Wifi, 6%
  • Wireless Network, 6%
  • Troubleshoot, 5%
Common controls designer skills
  • PLC, 12%
  • Control Panels, 6%
  • IDS, 6%
  • Auto CAD, 6%
  • I/O, 5%
  • UL, 4%

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