Side-by-side distribution
Controls Engineer
$160,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 44.6%
- Live roles
- 383
Electrical Engineer
$156,242
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 48.7%
- Live roles
- 1,235
Highest-paying jobs
Staff+ Software Engineer, Identity & Access Controls
Backend Software Engineer, API Enterprise Controls
IT Controls Data Engineer
Software Engineer, Codex -Enterprise Controls
Software Engineer: Robotics Controls
Data Center Controls Network Engineer
Controls Engineer
Robotics Manipulation & Controls Engineer
Software Engineer, Planning & Controls - Autonomy & Robotics
Platform Systems Engineer; Motion Planning and Control
Highest-paying jobs
Electrical Engineer
Data Center Design Engineer, Electrical - Industrial Compute
Electrical Engineer, Robotics
Principal Electrical Engineer
Principal, Electrical Engineer
Principal Electrical Engineer - Compute and Sensing
Data Center Infrastructure Electrical Engineer
Senior Electrical Engineer (High Speed Digital)
Principal Electrical Engineer, Integration & Test
Electrical Engineer (Contract)
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Anduril Industries
|
$160,000 | 16 |
Fluidstack
|
$212,000 | 14 |
Zone 5 Technologies
|
$192,500 | 8 |
Crusoe
|
$159,000 | 8 |
|
OpenAI
|
$323,250 | 4 |
Hadrian Automation
|
$175,000 | 4 |
Kodiak
|
$210,000 | 3 |
Skydio
|
$205,000 | 3 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Anduril Industries
|
$170,000 | 92 |
Syska Hennessy Group
|
$128,692 | 35 |
Helion
|
$220,000 | 14 |
SpaceX
|
$108,750 | 13 |
|
Fluidstack
|
$200,000 | 11 |
ALTEN Technology USA
|
$122,500 | 11 |
|
Crusoe
|
$159,500 | 9 |
Nexamp
|
$136,250 | 8 |
Controls Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $212,000 | 15 |
| San Francisco | $212,000 | 26 |
| Seattle | $212,000 | 17 |
| Austin | $212,000 | 15 |
| Los Angeles | $157,500 | 14 |
| Denver | $144,500 | 4 |
Electrical Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $182,000 | 50 |
| Seattle | $182,000 | 19 |
| Austin | $182,000 | 18 |
| Denver | $160,000 | 17 |
| New York | $157,845 | 28 |
| Los Angeles | $155,000 | 39 |
| Toronto | $145,910 | 4 |
| Boston | $142,500 | 25 |
| Chicago | $118,390 | 22 |
| Atlanta | $100,000 | 4 |
Controls Engineer vs Electrical Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Controls Engineer is $160,000 per year (typically $132,000–$200,000), versus $156,242 for Electrical Engineer ($127,500–$185,000). That puts Controls Engineer about 2% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Controls Engineer and Electrical Engineer are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.