CAREERS IN AUTOMATION

A career in the automation industry is one of the most rewarding ones in its domain. If your qualification is a B.Tech or Diploma in Electrical, Electronics, Instrumentation, Communication or Mechanical Engineering or a Graduation in Electronics, Mechatronix or any of the related domains, you can build a lasting fruitful career in this industry, if you are equipped with the right information and skills.

Automation industry rewards its engineers with high pay for the amount of work put in, and offers high levels of job security and professional satisfaction. The very nature of jobs involved in this sector is challenging and is something that a person with a spirit for tackling challenges can look forward to. The high level of technology involved in any job related to automation makes it enjoyable for people who are fond of working with the latest cutting edge technologies.

Whether you are a man or a woman, your skills and technical knowledge will be rewarded and you can get the feel of a promising career, very early. You don’t have to wait for years to be promoted or rewarded in this industry. All that matters is how much you know and how good you are at what you do.

That said, you can find below some statistical information on the jobs in automation industry.

automation

Indicator Percentage of Respondents or Average Job Function Automation/Control Engineering (40.9%) Average Age 43.9 Gender Male (94.5%) US Geograpic Region Midwest (25.1%) Education Level College graduate (45.2%, 16.9% have advanced degree) Degree Received (Field of Study) Electrical Engineering (26.4%) No Degree Received (25.6%) Years of Experience 18.3 (average) Years with Present Employer 2 year or less (32.2%) 3 to 5 years (24.5%) Annual Salary $88,252 (average) Bonus Last Year None (40.8%) Typical Work Week 46.8 hours (average) Vacation 2.9 Weeks per year (average) Job Satisfaction Somewhat satisfied (47.6%) Top 3 Job Satisfaction Factors Salary (48.2%) Technical challenge (42.2%) Good relationship with work colleagues (39.6%) Top 3 Benefits, excluding salary Health Insurance (59.6%) Pension Plan/401K (45.7%) Flexible Working Hours (43.0%)   Average Salary by Job Function The percent numbers indicated in the right-hand column are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 898. Job Function Average Salary Percent Respondents Automation/Control Engineering $85,395 40.9% Design Engineering $83,083 3.3% Engineering Management $112,188 4.5% General or Operations Management $106,900 2.8% Inside Sales $71,667 0.7% Instrumentation Engineering $97,788 2.9% Marketing & Public Relations $87,391 5.1% Operations and Maintenance $70,600 5.6% Outside Sales $103,060 7.5% Plant Engineering $95,714 0.8% Process Engineering $68,125 0.9% Production/Manufacturing Engineering $67,813 1.8% Quality Control, Evaluation & Testing $61,429 0.8% Research & Development $86,944 2.0% Systems Integration/Consulting $93,084 8.6% Technical/ Application Support $82,457 6.5% Training/Education $75,000 0.6% Other $94,333 5.0% Average Salary by Industry The percent numbers indicated in the right-hand column are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 898. Industry Average Salary Percent Respondents Raw material processing $89,966 8.1% Manufacturer of machinery and equipment $83,845 13.3% Aircraft, missile or ordnance manufacturing $81,000 0.6% Instrumentation and control equipment manufacturing $92,790 12.5% Automotive or other transportation equipment manufacturing $73,929 3.1% Other fabricated metal $76,429 1.6% Miscellaneous manufacturing $81,712 8.1% Utility services (gas, electric, waterworks, etc.) $90,260 5.3% Engineering/construction $102,983 9.8% Research & development $79,583 2.0% Software $93,462 1.4% Product distributor or rep group $85,833 4.7% System Integration $89,065 15.5% Training/Education $55,313 0.9% Other $88,369 13.1% Average Salary by Years of Work Experience The percent numbers indicated in the right-hand column are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 898. Years of Work Experience Average Salary Percent Respondents 2 years or less $48,833 3.3% 3 to 5 years $59,015 7.3% 6 to 10 years $75,124 11.2% 11 to 15 years $80,194 17.3% 16 to 20 years $96,258 17.5% 21 to 25 years $95,408 16.4% 26 to 30 years $101,011 15.1% 31 or more years $97,571 11.8% Average Salary by Company Tenure The percent numbers indicated in the right-hand column are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 898. Years With Present Employer Average Salary Percent Respondents 2 years or less $82,811 32.2% 3 to 5 years $84,818 24.5% 6 to 10 years $90,872 21.4% 11 to 15 years $86,267 8.4% 16 to 20 years $105,061 4.6% 21 to 25 years $103,370 5.1% 26 to 30 years $101,413 2.6% 31 or more years $120,000 1.3% Average Salary by Highest Level of Education The percent numbers indicated in the right-hand column are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 898. Highest Level of Education Average Salary Percent Respondents Advanced Degree $101,332 16.9% Attended Some Graduate School $84,082 5.5% College Graduate $89,766 45.2% Attended Some College $85,323 12.9% Technical/Trade School Graduate $75,065 12.8% Attended Some Technical/Trade School $74,615 2.9% High School Graduate $83,981 3.0% Attended Some High School $91,429 0.8% Average Salary by Bachelor Degree Received This data is calculated from the 538 respondents who indicated they have received a Bachelor's Degree. The percent numbers are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 898. Please note that some respondents reported they have more than one degree. Degree (Bachelor) Average Salary Percent Respondents Electrical Engineering $93,613 26.4% Electrical Engineering Technology $78,750 8.0% Mechanical Engineering $98,080 7.7% Control Engineering $79,250 2.8% Chemical Engineering $106,512 5.9% Other Engineering $88,355 5.3% Physics $87,143 1.9% Computer Science $96,912 4.7% Mathematics $82,500 1.0% Other Science $80,556 2.5% Business Administration $94,815 3.7% IT/Systems $82,000 0.7% Liberal Arts $84,643 2.9% All Other $84,167 0.8% Average Salary by Advanced Degree Received This data is calculated from 198 (16.9%) respondents who indicated they have received an Advanced Degree. The percent numbers are relative to the 198 respondents who indicated they have an advanced degree. Please note that some respondents reported they have more than one advanced degree. Degree (Advanced) Average Salary Percent Respondents Electrical Engineering $93,163 24.7% Electrical Engineering Technology $70,000 3.0% Mechanical Engineering $94,423 6.6% Control Engineering $82,763 9.6% Chemical Engineering $120,909 5.6% Other Engineering $105,313 8.1% Physics $105,000 1.0% Computer Science $107,273 5.6% Mathematics $63,333 1.5% Other Science $101,667 1.5% Business Administration $107,115 26.3% IT/Systems $90,000 2.5% Liberal Arts $90,000 1.0% All Other $84,167 3.0% Average Salary by Gender The percent numbers indicated in the right-hand column are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 898. Gender Average Salary Percent Respondents Male $89,588 94.5% Female $67,041 5.5% Average Salary by Employment Type The percent numbers indicated in the right-hand column are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 898. Employment Type Average Salary Percent Respondents Contractor $100,000 7.1% Direct Employee $87,464 92.9% Average Salary by US Geographic Region The percent numbers indicated in the right-hand column are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 898. US Geographic Region Average Salary Percent Respondents Great Lakes $84,178 8.1% Mid-Atlantic $86,127 11.4% Midwest $82,378 25.1% New England $90,779 8.6% Pacific Northwest $96,211 7.1% So-Cal $93,424 5.1% South $92,028 10.0% Southeast $85,226 14.8% Southwest $100,199 9.8% Average Salary by Company or Division Size The percent numbers indicated in the right-hand column are relative to the total number of survey respondents of 898. Company or Division Size Average Salary Percent Respondents less than 30 $85,181 21.5% 30 to 49 $79,375 8.0% 50 to 99 $87,370 10.7% 100 to 249 $87,874 14.1% 250 to 499 $82,527 10.5% 500 to 999 $87,537 7.5% 1,000 to 4,999 $93,988 13.5% 5,000 to 9,999 $95,000 4.8% 10,000 or more $100,735 9.5% Breakdown of Respondents by Annual Gross Income Breakdown of Respondents by Annual Gross Income as Commissions and/or Bonuses Breakdown of Respondents by Increase in Compensation Over 1 Year Breakdown of Respondents by Job Function Breakdown of Respondents by Years of Work Experience Breakdown of Respondents by Education Breakdown of Respondents by Degree Received Breakdown of Respondents by Primary Business or Industry Breakdown of Respondents by Age Breakdown of Respondents by Job Satisfaction Breakdown of Respondents by Weeks of Vacation per Year Breakdown of Respondents by Years with Present Employer Breakdown of responses for most important factors contributing to job satisfaction (Respondents were asked to choose top 3) Breakdown of responses for most important benefits in your present job (Respondents were asked to choose the top 3)

The above data provides a cross section view in to the international job market in automation. The same is true with smaller markets including the regions of Middle - East, South Asia and South - East Asia. The Indian Automation Job Market is more booming than all other regions due to the very fact that the Indian economy has risen higher and has shown a continued and sustained growth than many of the leading economies of the world.

As a young engineer, taking up a career in automation will be the best choice you would be making, given the present scenario. Along with the monetary satisfaction and financial freedom it gives, a job in the automation sector is by far the most rewarding one, in terms of job satisfaction.