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The differences between architectural designers and autocad drafters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an architectural designer and an autocad drafter. Additionally, an architectural designer has an average salary of $59,122, which is higher than the $41,984 average annual salary of an autocad drafter.
The top three skills for an architectural designer include sketch, sketchup and BIM. The most important skills for an autocad drafter are construction drawings, layout drawings, and revit.
| Architectural Designer | Autocad Drafter | |
| Yearly salary | $59,122 | $41,984 |
| Hourly rate | $28.42 | $20.18 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 54,358 | 2,429 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
An Architectural Designer is specialized in planning and designing structures/urban landscapes. They ensure that company policies and standards are maintained when providing services to clients.
An Autocad Drafter develops drawings and plans for the construction and manufacturing industries. They use various types of computer-aided design and drafting software.
Architectural designers and autocad drafters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Architectural Designer | Autocad Drafter | |
| Average salary | $59,122 | $41,984 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $77,000 | Between $31,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Garfield, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Apple | GPAC |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Government |
There are a few differences between an architectural designer and an autocad drafter in terms of educational background:
| Architectural Designer | Autocad Drafter | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Most common major | Architecture | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between architectural designers' and autocad drafters' demographics:
| Architectural Designer | Autocad Drafter | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% | Male, 72.3% Female, 27.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |