Controls Engineer Salaries
How much does a Controls Engineer make?
Total pay range
$106K - $158K/yr
$128K/yrMedian total pay
Pay breakdown
$91K - $130K/yrBase pay
$15K - $28K/yrAdditional pay
About our data
Confident
The “Most Likely Range” reflects values within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role. Glassdoor salaries are powered by our proprietary machine learning model, which utilizes salaries collected from our users and the latest government data to make pay predictions.
How accurate is a total pay range of $106K-$158K/yr?
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Popular companies for Controls Engineers
3,038 companies
3,038 Popular companies with Controls Engineer
Viewing 1 - 5 of 3038 Results
See what insiders are saying about pay
Top paying industries
The top 5 paying industries for a Controls Engineer in United States are Aerospace & Defense with a median total pay of $131,813, Government & Public Administration with a median total pay of $121,222, Energy, Mining & Utilities with a median total pay of $116,680, Management & Consulting with a median total pay of $114,210, and Information Technology with a median total pay of $112,782.
Top paying companies in Aerospace & Defense for Controls Engineer are Blue Origin, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin.
Top paying companies in Government & Public Administration for Controls Engineer are SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Brookhaven National Laboratory.
Top paying companies in Energy, Mining & Utilities for Controls Engineer are Phillips 66, Marathon Petroleum, and Valero.
Top paying companies in Management & Consulting for Controls Engineer are Lin and Associates, Enterprise Automation, and Argonne National Laboratory.
Top paying companies in Information Technology for Controls Engineer are Meta, Amazon Web Services, and EOSYS.
Aerospace & Defense
$131,813
Aerospace & Defense
Top paying companies in Aerospace & Defense for Controls Engineer are Blue Origin, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin.
Government & Public Administration
$121,222
Aerospace & Defense
Top paying companies in Aerospace & Defense for Controls Engineer are Blue Origin, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin.
Energy, Mining & Utilities
$116,680
Aerospace & Defense
Top paying companies in Aerospace & Defense for Controls Engineer are Blue Origin, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin.
Management & Consulting
$114,210
Aerospace & Defense
Top paying companies in Aerospace & Defense for Controls Engineer are Blue Origin, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin.
Information Technology
$112,782
Aerospace & Defense
Top paying companies in Aerospace & Defense for Controls Engineer are Blue Origin, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin.
Recent salaries shared by Controls Engineer
50 salaries
Job Title | Years of Experience
Total Pay
Location
Date submitted
Job Title | Years of Experience
Location
Date submitted
Total Pay
Base • Additional pay
Controls Engineer
1-3 years
$74K - $86K/yr
Erie, PA
submitted on Jun 8, 2026
$74K - $86K/yr
Controls Engineer
1-3 years
$97K - $113K/yr
Wixom, MI
submitted on Jun 8, 2026
$97K - $113K/yr
Controls Engineer
1-3 years
$100K/yr
$92K • $8K
Naperville, IL
submitted on Jun 8, 2026
$100K/yr
$92K • $8K
Controls Engineer
15+ years
$387K/yr
$242K • $145K
West Menlo Park, CA
submitted on Jun 6, 2026
$387K/yr
$242K • $145K
Controls Engineer
1-3 years
$76K/yr
$76K • $0
Poughkeepsie, NY
submitted on Jun 5, 2026
$76K/yr
$76K • $0
Anonymously share your salary to help the community.
Controls Engineer
1-3 years
$83K - $96K/yr
Springdale, AR
submitted on Jun 4, 2026
$83K - $96K/yr
Controls Engineer
4-6 years
$94K/yr
$94K • $0
Florence, KY
submitted on Jun 4, 2026
$94K/yr
$94K • $0
Controls Engineer
4-6 years
$162K - $188K/yr
San Jose, CA
submitted on Jun 4, 2026
$162K - $188K/yr
Controls Engineer
4-6 years
$100K/yr
$100K • $0
Kennesaw, GA
submitted on Jun 4, 2026
$100K/yr
$100K • $0
Controls Engineer
4-6 years
$80K/yr
$80K • $0
Cincinnati, OH
submitted on Jun 3, 2026
$80K/yr
$80K • $0
Viewing 1 - 10 of 50
Glassdoor Economist Pay Overview
What is the pay outlook for Engineering?
Engineering jobs are in high demand with workers receiving generous compensation packages and bonuses. Engineering offers ample opportunity for growth and development with transferable skills across an array of fields from software, supply chain and logistics to aerospace. Most roles require at least a bachelor’s degree. To remain competitive, job-seekers should consider specialization or skill-specific programs such as coding boot-camps or certifications.Show more
Controls Engineer salary in US
A Controls Engineer salary range in US can vary based on important factors such as education, skills, certifications, and years of experience. A Controls Engineer in US can expect to see an entry level salary range of $59,336 to $131,703 per year, based on 8,719 salary contributions. At the highest seniority level, an experienced Controls Engineer in US can make a salary range of $56,764 to $123,071 with at least 5 years of experience, based on 3,316 salary contributions. The top 3 companies in US where a Controls Engineer gets the highest compensation are Food Management Search, SMA, Inc. and Los Alamos National Security, LLC. Bigger companies typically pay 35.00% more than smaller companies for a Controls Engineer.Show more
Frequently asked questions about Controls Engineer salaries
How much does a Controls Engineer in United States make?
The average salary for a Controls Engineer is $128,448 per year or $62 per hour in United States, which is in line with the national average. Top earners have reported making up to $188,640 (90th percentile). However, the typical pay range in United States is between $105,775 (25th percentile) and $157,563 (75th percentile) annually. Salary estimates are based on 7538 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by Controls Engineer employees in United States as of June 2026.
What is the highest salary for a Controls Engineer in United States?
The highest salary for a Controls Engineer in United States is $157,563 per year, $13,130 per month or $76 per hour.
What is the lowest salary for a Controls Engineer in United States?
The lowest salary for a Controls Engineer in United States is $105,775 per year, $8,815 per month or $51 per hour.
What is the salary trajectory of a Controls Engineer?
The salary trajectory of a Controls Engineer ranges between locations and employers. The salary starts at $117,432 per year (estimate) and goes up to $207,655 per year (estimate) for the highest level of seniority.
Do Controls Engineers Make Good Money in United States?
Around 72% of engineers in this position are pleased with their earnings. If you need to figure out whether a controls engineer salary counts as good money, look into extras the employer offers. Bonuses, stock options, and profit sharing can bring in an extra $20,027.46.
How Much Does a Controls Engineer Make Over Time in United States?
A controls engineer salary usually ranges from $88,956.72 to $188,639.57; the average professional earns $108,420.36. If your position offers the chance to earn bonuses or participate in profit sharing, your total compensation could jump to $128,447.82. Assuming that you're sticking to the usual career path for a controls engineer, you're likely to make more in senior and lead engineering jobs.
How to Make More Money as a Controls Engineer
Many controls engineer jobs require a bachelor's degree; earning a master's or Ph.D in electrical engineering or computer engineering is one way to bump up your salary. If you don't want an advanced degree, consider becoming more proficient in the most common coding languages in your company or specialty area; examples include Codesys, MATLAB, Simulink, C/C++, and Python. You can also learn more about plant automation programs such as DeltaV.
Controls engineers often need high-level knowledge of federal, state, and city regulations. Become a more valuable employee by staying updated on current rules, or take a course to earn UL certifications that are relevant to your position.
How to Negotiate a Higher Salary as a Controls Engineer
If you're a current or aspiring controls engineer, negotiating is all about demonstrating your worth to the company. If you have professional engineering experience — either in controls or a related field, such as electrical or mechanical engineering — explain how your skills and expertise enable you to exceed performance standards in the new position. Do the same for your plant automation, computer programming, and control systems software skills.
How much does a controls engineer make when they have a successful salary negotiation? It varies based on how your experience and current salary compare to the local standard for controls engineer jobs, but you can often ask for 15% to 20% increase.