Manufacturing

How to become a PLC Programmer

From maintenance technician: every step, how long it takes, and the credential it earns.

Time to get there

1–3 years

Typical pay

$72k–$100k

Starting from

Maintenance technician

Pay is an estimate of typical US entry-level pay for this role and varies by state, employer and shift. The timeline assumes you are starting from maintenance technician and includes any licence or programme legally required — not just course length.

The route

1. 1

   2–3 years

   Work in maintenance first

   Nearly every controls programmer starts by troubleshooting the machines they later program.

   Course that covers thisIndustrial Maintenance & Reliability: PM, PdM, TPM and RCMUdemy · around $69.99 →
2. 2

   6–12 months

   Learn ladder logic on real hardware

   Allen-Bradley dominates North America. Buy or borrow a trainer and write programs.

   Course that covers thisJourneyman Electrician Exam Practice TestUdemy · around $19.99 →
3. 3

   6–12 months

   Learn HMIs and industrial networks

   The operator screen and the network are as much of the job as the logic.

4. 4

   1–3 years

   Take a controls role

   Plant controls engineer or systems integrator. Integrators travel, plants do not.

5. ✓

   Destination

   PLC Programmer

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