What Does a Professional in this Career Do?
Programs and operates PLC systems used to automate processes in manufacturing and other industries. Installs systems with electronic controls for mechanical equipment. Monitors system operations and troubleshoots system problems.
Job Outlook
There were 27 Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Programmer job postings in North Carolina in the past year and 1009 in the United States.
In combination with other careers in the Electrical / Electronic Designer industry, which includes the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Programmer career, the following graph shows the number of people employed for each year since 2012:
Salary
Many new Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Programmer jobs have salaries estimated to be in the following ranges, based on the requirements and responsibilities listed in job postings from the past year.
NATIONAL
The average estimated salary in the United States for this career, based on job postings in the past year, is $77,694.
STATE
The average estimated salary in North Carolina for this career, based on job postings in the past year, is $71,150.
Percentiles represent the percentage that is lower than the value. For example, 25% of estimated salaries for Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Programmer postings in the United States in the past year were lower than $65,687.
Education and Experience
Posted Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Programmer jobs typically require the following level of education. The numbers below are based on job postings in the United States from the past year. Not all job postings list education requirements
Posted Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Programmer jobs typically require the following number of years of experience. The numbers below are based on job postings in the United States from the past year. Not all job postings list experience requirements.
Skills
Below are listings of the most common general and specialized skills Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Programmer positions expect applicants to have as well as the most common skills that distinguish individuals from their peers. The percentage of job postings that specifically mention each skill is also listed.
BASELINE SKILLS
A skill that is required across a broad range of occupations, including this one.
- Troubleshooting (42%)
- Communication Skills (33%)
- Problem Solving (18%)
- Microsoft Office (16%)
- Teamwork / Collaboration (14%)
DEFINING SKILLS
A core skill for this occupation, it occurs frequently in job postings.
- Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Programming (47%)
- Human Machine Interface (HMI) (40%)
- AutoCAD (27%)
- Schematic Diagrams (22%)
- Siemens Nixdorf Hardware (20%)
NECESSARY SKILLS
A skill that is requested frequently in this occupation but isn’t specific to it.
- Commissioning (20%)
- Project Management (17%)
- Electrical Engineering (14%)
- Ethernet (14%)
- Scheduling (13%)
DISTINGUISHING SKILLS
A skill that may distinguish a subset of the occupation.
- Electrical Control (7%)
- Computer Aided Drafting/Design (CAD) (7%)
- Factorytalk (6%)
- Power Distribution (6%)
- DeviceNet (5%)
SALARY BOOSTING SKILLS
A professional who wishes to excel in this career path may consider developing the following highly valued skills. The percentage of job postings that specifically mention each skill is listed along with the marginal value: the average salary difference between postings that request that skill and those that do not.
- Circuit Design (3%) – marginal value $3,153
Alternative Job Titles
Sometimes employers post jobs with Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Programmer skills but a different job title. Some common alternative job titles include:
- Plc Programmer
- Lead II – Engineering Design
- Electrical Controls Designer
- Electrical Designer
- Plc/Hmi Programmer