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Careers›Roles›Instrumentation and Controls Engineer
Mid-Level

Instrumentation and Controls Engineer

Industrial processes run on systems that sense and control, and you design them: keeping plants and machines precise, safe, and automatic. Where sensors, logic, and safety converge.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
I
R
C
E
A
S
Investigativeanalytical, curious
Realistichands-on, practical
Based on Holland Code framework
Industries that often hire Instrumentation and Controls Engineers
ConstructionProfessional Services · 45%Energy & Utilities · 25%Government · 20%Administrative Services · 7%Education · 1%
Job markets for Instrumentation and Controls Engineers
Employment concentration · ~19 areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
Engineering
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
Jump to:What it's likeCareer pathsBy the numbers
What it's like

What it's like to be a Instrumentation and Controls Engineer

The work blends designing control systems, specifying instruments and programming logic, and commissioning in the field. You split time between desk and plant, and a control failure can be costly or dangerous. Much of it is precise work where safety comes first.

What's harder than it looks is the responsibility for systems that run unattended: errors hide until they don't. Standards and documentation are exacting, commissioning can mean odd hours, and field conditions differ from the design. Oil and gas, manufacturing, and utilities each shape the work.

Precise, methodical, and at home in the plant: that's the temperament. If you want pure creativity or a single setting, the rigor and field time may not suit. But if you like building the unseen systems that keep industry running safely, the work tends to be quietly satisfying.

What people in this role value
AchievementAbove avg
RecognitionAbove avg
SupportAbove avg
Working ConditionsAbove avg
IndependenceAbove avg
RelationshipsLower
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns
Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

Earning potential across this track
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
Technology & Information$117K+15%
Professional Services$103K+1%
Energy & Utilities$87K-14%
Financial Services$86K-16%
Wholesale & Distribution$74K-28%
Compared to Engineering average across all industries
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Instrumentation and Controls Engineers (SOC 17-2161.00), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Related rolesExplore Engineering →
Instrumentation and Controls EngineerWeapons DesignerWeapons EngineerSystem EngineerRadiation Protection EngineerNuclear EngineerNuclear MechanicEngineering OfficerNuclear Design EngineerNuclear Safety EngineerNuclear Process EngineerNuclear Reactor EngineerNuclear Licensing EngineerNuclear Radiation EngineerNuclear Power Plant EngineerNuclear Fuels Research EngineerNuclear Fuels Reclamation EngineerNuclear Criticality Safety Engineer
Exploring the Instrumentation and Controls Engineer career path? Truest helps you figure out if it's the right fit — and plan your path forward.
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✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$88K–$187K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
15K
U.S. Employment
-1.1%
10yr Growth
800
Annual Openings

How this category is changing

$77K$74K$71K$68K$65K201920202021202220232024$65K$77K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

ScienceCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingReading ComprehensionActive ListeningWritingJudgment and Decision MakingMathematicsMonitoringActive Learning
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mapped SOC Codes
17-2161.00

Explore related roles

Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths

midWeapons Designer$108KmidWeapons Engineer$108KseniorSenior Weapons Designer$108KseniorSenior Weapons Engineer$108KmidSystem Engineer$123KmidRadiation Protection Engineer$116K
View all Engineering roles →

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.