If you are starting a career in industrial automation, this is probably the first real decision you face. Allen-Bradley (made by Rockwell Automation) and Siemens are the two PLC platforms that dominate the global market. Together, they account for over 60% of all PLC installations worldwide.
## Market Share: Where Each Platform Dominates
Siemens holds 37.2% of the global PLC market. They are the world leader when measured across all regions. Siemens dominates in Europe, where their S7 series is the standard in automotive, pharmaceutical, and process industries.
Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley) holds 23.1% globally but over 40% of the North American market. In the United States, Allen-Bradley is the default choice for discrete manufacturing, automotive, food and beverage, and packaging.
If you plan to work primarily in North America, Allen-Bradley gives you the widest job pool. If you want to work internationally, Siemens opens more doors. If you learn both, you eliminate geography as a constraint.
## The Software: Studio 5000 vs TIA Portal
Studio 5000 is Rockwell's integrated development environment for ControlLogix and CompactLogix processors. It uses a tag-based architecture where every data point gets a descriptive name rather than a memory address.
TIA Portal is Siemens' unified engineering framework for S7-1200, S7-1500, and ET 200SP processors. PLC programming, HMI design, drive configuration, and network setup all happen in one software package.
## Programming Philosophy Differences
Allen-Bradley emphasizes flat, tag-driven programs. A typical project has a main routine calling subroutines with descriptive tag names. Most programs are readable by maintenance electricians.
Siemens emphasizes structured, modular programs using Function Blocks (FBs) with instance data blocks. This approach scales better for large projects with repeated equipment but requires more upfront planning.
## Salary and Rate Impact
Based on data from over 2,000 contracts managed through Automate America:
Allen-Bradley specialists: $80,000-$125,000 salary. Contract rate: $72-$95/hr (Midwest). Premium rate: $95-$135/hr.
Siemens specialists: $82,000-$130,000 salary. Contract rate: $75-$100/hr. Premium rate: $100-$135/hr.
Dual-platform professionals: $95,000-$150,000 salary. Contract rate: $85-$135/hr. These professionals are the hardest to find and command the highest premiums.
## Industry-Specific Preferences
Allen-Bradley dominant: Automotive manufacturing, food and beverage, packaging, water/wastewater, oil and gas (North America).
Siemens dominant: Pharmaceutical and life sciences, chemical process, European-owned automotive, power generation, metals and mining.
## Training and Education Options
Allen-Bradley: Rockwell Automation official courses ($2,000-$4,000 per course). Community colleges in the Midwest feature AB heavily. Automate America lists 130+ schools with automation training.
Siemens: SITRAIN official courses. The Siemens SCE program provides free software licenses to educational institutions. TIA Portal includes built-in simulation (PLCSIM).
## The Real Answer: Learn Both, But Start With One
On the Automate America platform, professionals who list both Allen-Bradley and Siemens receive 40% more contract inquiries than those listing only one.
Years 1-3: Master your primary platform. Get certified. Build a portfolio.
Years 3-5: Add the second platform through formal training and cross-platform contracts.
Year 5+: You are a dual-platform professional. Rate ceiling increases. Geographic flexibility increases.
Learn Allen-Bradley first if you plan to work in North America. Start with Siemens if you are near European-owned facilities. The underlying concepts of industrial control are platform-agnostic.
There are 2.1 million manufacturing jobs projected to go unfilled by 2030, with only 9 candidates per open automation position. Whichever platform you choose, the demand is there.
