Side-by-side distribution
Controls Engineer
$130,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 42.7%
- Live roles
- 1,287
Electrical Engineer
$136,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 42.2%
- Live roles
- 4,182
Highest-paying jobs
Manufacturing Engineer III (Controls Technician)
Control Systems Software Engineer, Robotics
Software Engineer, API Enterprise Controls
Data Center Controls Engineer
Software Engineer, Enterprise Controls
Senior/Staff Controls Engineer, Core Development
Staff Software Engineer - Humanoid Controls
Software Engineer: Robotics Controls
Senior Mechanical Controls Engineer
Data Center Controls Network Engineer
Highest-paying jobs
Staff Electrical Engineer - Low Voltage
Staff Electrical Engineer - Medium Voltage
Electrical Engineer, Robotics
Data Center Electrical Engineer
Principal Electrical Engineer (Hardware Design)
Senior Electrical Delivery Engineer
Principal Electrical Engineer
Electrical Engineer, Hardware Systems
Electrical Engineer
Principal Power Electronics Engineer
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Anduril Industries
|
$167,000 | 31 |
| JC Johnson Controls | $85,280 | 27 |
| GV GE Vernova | $131,200 | 20 |
Northrop Grumman
|
$123,600 | 18 |
Blue Origin
|
$181,117 | 15 |
Leidos
|
$122,275 | 14 |
Oshkosh Corporation
|
$119,800 | 14 |
Carrier
|
$118,500 | 13 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Northrop Grumman
|
$123,000 | 177 |
|
Anduril Industries
|
$170,000 | 112 |
|
Blue Origin
|
$173,014 | 59 |
Syska Hennessy Group
|
$110,696 | 52 |
|
Leidos
|
$122,275 | 46 |
SpaceX
|
$125,000 | 32 |
| GV GE Vernova | $119,000 | 30 |
Amentum
|
$125,000 | 28 |
Controls Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $218,636 | 22 |
| Seattle | $185,000 | 19 |
| Austin | $162,500 | 23 |
| Los Angeles | $150,000 | 25 |
| Denver | $138,450 | 17 |
| Boston | $127,500 | 3 |
| Chicago | $123,500 | 10 |
| Atlanta | $122,275 | 13 |
| New York | $118,770 | 15 |
Electrical Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $174,226 | 71 |
| San Francisco | $172,200 | 73 |
| Denver | $156,847 | 51 |
| Austin | $149,000 | 33 |
| Los Angeles | $148,664 | 86 |
| Boston | $143,063 | 41 |
| Atlanta | $125,000 | 13 |
| Chicago | $122,215 | 32 |
| New York | $122,000 | 40 |
| Toronto | $111,961 | 3 |
Controls Engineer vs Electrical Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Controls Engineer is $130,000 per year (typically $106,813–$159,000), versus $136,000 for Electrical Engineer ($110,000–$167,581). That puts Electrical Engineer about 5% 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.