Side-by-side distribution
Controls Engineer
$160,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 44.6%
- Live roles
- 383
Robotics
$200,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 44.1%
- Live roles
- 381
Highest-paying jobs
Staff+ Software Engineer, Identity & Access Controls
IT Controls Data Engineer
Backend Software Engineer, API Enterprise Controls
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
Lead Safety Engineer, Robotics
Firmware Engineer, Robotics
Machine Learning Engineer, Distributed Data Systems - Robotics
Software Engineer, Distributed Data Systems - Robotics
Inference Engineer, Robotics
Electrical Engineer, Robotics
Staff Robotics Engineer / Tech Lead – Whole-Body Control & Robot Learning
Software Engineer: Robotics Controls
Software Engineer: ML Robotics Systems
Staff Robotics Software Engineer, Air Vehicle Autonomy
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
|
$222,000 | 53 |
Field Ai
|
$185,000 | 9 |
|
OpenAI
|
$370,000 | 7 |
| SA Skild AI | $200,000 | 7 |
Neuralink
|
$155,750 | 6 |
|
DoorDash USA
|
$207,500 | 5 |
Intrinsic
|
$174,050 | 5 |
Agility Robotics
|
$215,750 | 4 |
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 |
Robotics salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Boston | $222,000 | 13 |
| New York | $214,750 | 4 |
| Seattle | $214,750 | 6 |
| Austin | $212,000 | 9 |
| San Francisco | $206,000 | 36 |
| Denver | $150,000 | 3 |
| Los Angeles | $131,250 | 6 |
Controls Engineer vs Robotics: which pays more?
The median for Controls Engineer is $160,000 per year (typically $132,750–$200,000), versus $200,000 for Robotics ($170,000–$222,000). That puts Robotics about 25% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Controls Engineer and Robotics 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.