Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Programmer
What Does a Professional in this Career Do?
A Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Programmer 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 41 Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Programmer job postings in North Carolina in the past year and 1432 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 2015:
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 $84,436.
State
The average estimated salary in North Carolina for this career, based on job postings in the past year, is $88,300.
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 $74,455.
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.
| Education Level | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Associate's Degree | 0% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 43.65% |
| Master's Degree | 2.03% |
| Doctoral Degree | 0.07% |
| Other | 8.59% |
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.
| Years of Experience | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 0 to 2 years | 21.09% |
| 3 to 5 years | 67.49% |
| 6 to 8 years | 7.69% |
| 9+ years | 3.72% |
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 (Problem Solving) (62.5%)
- Communication (34.85%)
- Problem Solving (24.65%)
- Operations (20.39%)
- Detail Oriented (15.36%)
- Management (10.96%)
- Writing (10.2%)
- Microsoft Office (8.8%)
- Interpersonal Communications (7.05%)
- Customer Service (6.91%)
Defining Skills
A core skill for this occupation, it occurs frequently in job postings.
- Electrical Engineering (31.93%)
- Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) (23.93%)
- Automation (51.27%)
- Control Systems (38.84%)
- Programmable Logic Controllers (93.38%)
- Programmable Logic Controllers Programming (54.18%)
- Human Machine Interfaces (57.16%)
Necessary Skills
A skill that is requested frequently in this occupation but isn’t specific to it.
- Siemens PLC (5.82%)
- Industrial Automation (11.27%)
- Industrial Networking (3.56%)
- Technical Support (6.91%)
- Control Engineering (5.45%)
- Debugging (18.11%)
- Computer Science (11.85%)
- Distributed Control Systems (6.62%)
- Electronic Engineering (1.45%)
- Electronic Components (5.38%)
- Electrical Systems (8.51%)
- Oil and Gas (7.56%)
- Hydraulics (6.33%)
- Systems Engineering (4.65%)
- Pneumatics (4.87%)
- AutoCAD (14.04%)
- Ladder Logic (26.11%)
- Modbus (9.45%)
- Software Development (4%)
- Electrical Wiring (9.6%)
- Safety Standards (4.95%)
- Communications Protocols (9.82%)
- Instrumentation (18.4%)
- Computer Engineering (8.87%)
- Process Control (9.82%)
- Network Switches (5.38%)
- Project Management (14.98%)
- Mechanical Engineering (8.36%)
- Wonderware (9.16%)
- Profibus (6.62%)
- Machinery (15.27%)
- Variable Frequency Drives (14.76%)
- Robotics (9.09%)
- PROFINET Standards (3.78%)
- Commissioning (12.07%)
- Structured Text (10.76%)
- Technical Documentation (3.2%)
- Software Engineering (2.69%)
- Sensors (7.27%)
- Totally Integrated Automation Portal (6.18%)
- Rockwell FactoryTalk (9.53%)
- Programming Languages (9.67%)
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.
- Ladder Logic (100%)
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
- Controls Engineer
- UI Programmer
- PLC Controls Engineer
- C Developer
- PLC Technician
- PLC Engineer
- R Programmer
- Robot Programmer
- Adjunct Instructor
Similar Occupations
If you are interested in exploring occupations with similar skills, you may want to research the following job titles. Note that we only list occupations that have at least one corresponding NC State Online and Distance Education program.
Common Employers
Here are the employers that have posted the most Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Programmer jobs in the past year along with how many they have posted.
United States
- Actalent (116)
- The Judge Group (39)
- Jobot (38)
- CyberCoders (25)
- Symbotic (24)
- Randstad (15)
- Tradesmen International (14)
- Peckham Industries (14)
- Carollo Engineers (13)
- Control Panels USA (12)
North Carolina
- Rise Technical Recruitment Ltd (5)
- Actalent (3)
- Think Inc. S.R.L. (3)
- Ashley Furniture (3)
- Monroe Staffing (3)
- Elite Automation (2)
- Citigroup (2)
- Instantserve (2)
- Demand Drive Solutions Pvt Ltd (1)
- Hoffman & Hoffman (1)
NC State Programs Relevant to this Career
If you are interested in preparing for a career in this field, the following NC State Online and Distance Education programs offer a great place to start!
All wages, job posting statistics, employment trend projections, and information about skill desirability on this page represents historical data and does not guarantee future conditions. Data is provided by and downloaded regularly from Lightcast. For more information about how Lightcast gathers data and what it represents, see Lightcast Data: Basic Overview on Lightcast's Knowledge Base website.