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The differences between architects and draftsmen can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an architect and a draftsman. Additionally, an architect has an average salary of $86,635, which is higher than the $42,908 average annual salary of a draftsman.
The top three skills for an architect include cloud, java and infrastructure. The most important skills for a draftsman are autocad lt, auto cad, and layout drawings.
| Architect | Draftsman | |
| Yearly salary | $86,635 | $42,908 |
| Hourly rate | $41.65 | $20.63 |
| Growth rate | 3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 94,621 | 3,143 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Associate Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Architects are licensed professionals who specialize in art and science of design, building constructions, and structures. They play a vital role in the construction and not only responsible for the appearance but also the safety of users. They ensure that every structure is functional, safe, cost-effective, and suit the needs of the future occupants. They closely monitor the working progress to make sure that the project is built according to plan. Some architects are focused mainly on creating designs while some are exclusive in the production of building plans or "blueprints".
Draftsmen are professionals with expertise in computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) drawings. They perform similar tasks as architects, such as preparing CADD drawings. They typically specialize in different areas, including construction, architecture, or civil engineering. They also prepare drawings for manufacturing. These drawings include technical specifications and details such as dimensions, procedures, and materials. Draftsmen also utilize technical handbooks, tables, and calculators, in addition to CADD. Employers often prefer a draftsman with drafting training, which you can obtain from community colleges or technical institutes.
Architects and draftsmen have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Architect | Draftsman | |
| Average salary | $86,635 | $42,908 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $137,000 | Between $30,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Alameda, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | NV Energy |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between an architect and a draftsman in terms of educational background:
| Architect | Draftsman | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Associate Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Architecture | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | Cornell University | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred |
Here are the differences between architects' and draftsmen' demographics:
| Architect | Draftsman | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.7% Female, 23.3% | Male, 91.0% Female, 9.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 16.0% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 5.7% White, 73.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 6% |