Controls Engineer Salary Guide
Compensation benchmarks for controls engineers, PLC technicians, automation engineers, and SCADA specialists across manufacturing.
Controls and automation engineers are among the most difficult manufacturing professionals to recruit. The combination of electrical knowledge, programming expertise, and industrial troubleshooting experience creates a talent pool that is significantly smaller than demand. This guide provides detailed compensation data from our specialized controls and automation recruiting practice.
Controls & Automation Salary Overview
| Position | 0-3 Years | 3-7 Years | 7-15 Years | 15+ Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controls Technician | $60,000 – $72,000 | $72,000 – $88,000 | $88,000 – $105,000 | $105,000 – $120,000 |
| PLC Technician | $63,000 – $76,000 | $76,000 – $92,000 | $92,000 – $112,000 | $112,000 – $125,000 |
| Controls Engineer | $82,000 – $98,000 | $98,000 – $125,000 | $125,000 – $155,000 | $155,000 – $180,000 |
| Automation Engineer | $85,000 – $102,000 | $102,000 – $130,000 | $130,000 – $160,000 | $160,000 – $185,000 |
| Sr. Controls / Automation Manager | — | $120,000 – $145,000 | $145,000 – $175,000 | $175,000 – $210,000 |
Platform-Specific Salary Premiums
In the controls and automation space, specific platform experience directly impacts compensation. Employers pay premiums for candidates who can immediately contribute without retraining on their installed base:
| Platform / Skill | Premium | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Allen-Bradley / Rockwell | Baseline | Most common in North American manufacturing |
| Siemens S7 / TIA Portal | +5% to +10% | Growing demand in automotive and European-owned plants |
| Multi-Platform (AB + Siemens) | +12% to +18% | Highly valued for flexibility |
| Robotics (Fanuc, ABB, KUKA) | +10% to +20% | Especially in automotive and packaging |
| SCADA / HMI Design | +5% to +12% | FactoryTalk, Ignition, WonderWare |
| Vision Systems (Cognex, Keyence) | +8% to +15% | Growing demand in quality inspection |
Why Controls Engineers Are Hard to Find
The controls engineering talent shortage is driven by several structural factors: limited university programs specifically teaching industrial controls, an aging workforce with many senior engineers approaching retirement, competition from tech companies offering higher salaries for software-adjacent skills, and the hands-on plant-floor experience that cannot be taught in a classroom. For a deeper analysis, read our article on why PLC technicians are hard to find.
About This Data
Published by Electrical Automation Services, Inc. (DBA: EAS Direct Hire). As former controls engineers and PLC technicians ourselves, we bring firsthand technical expertise to every controls and automation search. Our team can properly evaluate candidates on ladder logic, structured text, function block programming, and real-world troubleshooting ability. Contact us for a confidential compensation discussion.
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