Project Controls Specialists: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of project controls specialists about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for project controls specialists to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of project controls specialists expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for project controls specialists.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Project Controls Specialists?
Do project controls specialists need a degree? What kind of experience do project controls specialists typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for project controls specialists to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Project Controls Specialists
Jobs Postings for Project Controls Specialists By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 250,616 (55%)
- No Education Listed: 114,577 (25%)
- Master's degree: 56,645 (12%)
- High School or GED: 31,624 (7%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 5,504 (1%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of project controls specialists. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 55% of positions. In 25% of job listings no education level was listed and in 12% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Project Controls Specialists
Jobs Postings for Project Controls Specialists By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 16,855 (6%)
- 2-3 Years: 72,369 (26%)
- 4-6 Years: 102,438 (37%)
- 7-9 Years: 38,838 (14%)
- 10+ Years: 47,038 (17%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for project controls specialists. In 37% of job postings for Project Controls Specialists, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 26% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 10+ years of experience was sought in 17% of job postings for project controls specialists.
What Kind of Degree Do Project Controls Specialists Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for project controls specialists, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 53 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective project controls specialists, and in 2023 a total of 1,145,744 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective project controls specialists.
Top Degree Programs for Project Controls Specialists
Top 5 Degree Programs for Project Controls Specialists (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 335,156 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 333,999 |
| General Studies. | 123,192 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 57,116 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 43,663 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 335,156 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 333,999 |
| General Studies. | 123,192 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 57,116 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 43,663 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 34,318 |
| Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance. | 29,839 |
| Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration. | 27,457 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician. | 21,228 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other. | 13,002 |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications. | 12,850 |
| Environmental Studies. | 10,429 |
| Environmental Science. | 9,888 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. | 9,274 |
| Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies. | 9,123 |
| Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology. | 8,136 |
| International Business/Trade/Commerce. | 7,469 |
| Operations Management and Supervision. | 5,855 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | 4,872 |
| Sustainability Studies. | 4,382 |
| Project Management. | 4,299 |
| Computer/Information Technology Services Administration and Management, Other. | 3,190 |
| Natural Resources/Conservation, General. | 3,026 |
| Small Business Administration/Management. | 2,948 |
| Fashion Merchandising. | 2,911 |
| Homeland Security. | 2,894 |
| Crisis/Emergency/Disaster Management. | 2,589 |
| Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management. | 2,481 |
| Intelligence, General. | 2,413 |
| Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism. | 1,935 |
| Building Construction Technology/Technician. | 1,710 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General. | 1,679 |
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other. | 1,386 |
| Taxation. | 1,256 |
| Accounting and Business/Management. | 1,214 |
| Retail Management. | 983 |
| Architectural Technology/Technician. | 887 |
| Energy Systems Technology/Technician. | 806 |
| Accounting and Related Services, Other. | 795 |
| Securities Services Administration/Management. | 696 |
| Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture. | 685 |
| Environmental Design/Architecture. | 611 |
| Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management. | 505 |
| Security and Loss Prevention Services. | 500 |
| E-Commerce/Electronic Commerce. | 415 |
| Water, Wetlands, and Marine Resources Management. | 365 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations, Other. | 335 |
| Science/Technology Management. | 321 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Other. | 247 |
| Solar Energy Technology/Technician. | 228 |
| Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Other. | 110 |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications, Other. | 72 |
| Construction Project Management. | 4 |
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Degree Options for Project Controls Specialists
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What Skills Do Project Controls Specialists Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by project controls specialists to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for project controls specialists, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Project Controls Specialists
Based on 392,608 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Project Controls Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Project Management | 352,007 | 90% |
| Construction | 81,811 | 21% |
| Project Schedules | 59,188 | 15% |
| Subcontracting | 57,031 | 15% |
| Construction Management | 54,681 | 14% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Project Controls Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 217,553 | 55% |
| Management | 195,969 | 50% |
| Leadership | 135,242 | 34% |
| Planning | 129,636 | 33% |
| Coordinating | 100,354 | 26% |
Based on 392,608 job postings related to project controls specialists, project management was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 90% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for construction, project schedules, subcontracting, construction management and project planning were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for project controls specialists, followed by management, leadership, planning, coordinating and operations.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Project Management | 352,007 | 90% |
| Construction | 81,811 | 21% |
| Project Schedules | 59,188 | 15% |
| Subcontracting | 57,031 | 15% |
| Construction Management | 54,681 | 14% |
| Project Planning | 53,039 | 14% |
| Change Orders | 45,446 | 12% |
| Procurement | 43,279 | 11% |
| Project Scoping | 40,174 | 10% |
| Change Management | 38,811 | 10% |
| Milestones (Project Management) | 37,971 | 10% |
| Invoicing | 36,714 | 9% |
| Microsoft Project | 36,476 | 9% |
| Agile Methodology | 33,289 | 8% |
| Project Implementation | 31,895 | 8% |
| Marketing | 31,704 | 8% |
| Finance | 31,607 | 8% |
| Accounting | 28,929 | 7% |
| Risk Management | 28,553 | 7% |
| Project Documentation | 28,431 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 217,553 | 55% |
| Management | 195,969 | 50% |
| Leadership | 135,242 | 34% |
| Planning | 129,636 | 33% |
| Coordinating | 100,354 | 26% |
| Operations | 86,322 | 22% |
| Problem Solving | 84,031 | 21% |
| Microsoft Office | 80,634 | 21% |
| Customer Service | 78,026 | 20% |
| Microsoft Excel | 76,117 | 19% |
| Detail Oriented | 71,935 | 18% |
| Writing | 69,545 | 18% |
| Scheduling | 68,758 | 18% |
| Presentations | 65,968 | 17% |
| Organizational Skills | 51,886 | 13% |
| Budgeting | 51,534 | 13% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 50,858 | 13% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 50,140 | 13% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 49,481 | 13% |
| Time Management | 49,046 | 12% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about project controls specialists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for project controls specialists.
What do project controls specialists do?
How much do project controls specialists make?
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