Architectural designer vs draftsperson

The differences between architectural designers and draftspeople 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 a draftsperson. Additionally, an architectural designer has an average salary of $59,122, which is higher than the $41,751 average annual salary of a draftsperson.

The top three skills for an architectural designer include sketch, sketchup and BIM. The most important skills for a draftsperson are revit, auto cad, and construction drawings.

Architectural designer vs draftsperson overview

	Architectural Designer	Draftsperson
Yearly salary	$59,122	$41,751
Hourly rate	$28.42	$20.07
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	54,358	1,448
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	12	12

Architectural designer vs draftsperson salary

Architectural designers and draftspeople have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Architectural Designer	Draftsperson
Average salary	$59,122	$41,751
Salary range	Between $45,000 And $77,000	Between $27,000 And $63,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Vermont	New York
Best paying company	Apple	Basin Electric Power Cooperative
Best paying industry	Professional	Technology

Differences between architectural designer and draftsperson education

There are a few differences between an architectural designer and a draftsperson in terms of educational background:

	Architectural Designer	Draftsperson
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	Architecture	Drafting And Design
Most common college	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Carnegie Mellon University

Architectural designer vs draftsperson demographics

Here are the differences between architectural designers' and draftspeople' demographics:

	Architectural Designer	Draftsperson
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9%	Male, 51.8% Female, 48.2%
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%

Differences between architectural designer and draftsperson duties and responsibilities

Architectural designer example responsibilities.

Manage in- house projects and AutoCAD drawings.
Manage design and coordinate construction of grind up, interior finish, conversions and remodel projects.
Lead the development of BIM modeling content for the architecture team as a direct report to the executive and lead architects.
Submit drawings to OSHPD for approval.
Submit & review OSHPD back check comments.
Participate in sustainable practices for leer certified projects.

Draftsperson example responsibilities.

sketch 2D models , 3D models, manage drawing files etc .....
Manage the technical coordination between the structural and MEP engineers along with incorporating any owner relate changes in project scope.
Assist with updating architectural drawings, HVAC drawings, electrical drawings and contractor's 'as-built' drawings on an as-need basis.
Produce complex 3D models and 2D production drawings using SolidWorks and AutoCAD R14.
Prepare detail 3D drawings using Revit and other coordination software (Navisworks, Revizto) of HVAC mechanical piping systems.
Create TWD files for CNC output

Architectural designer vs draftsperson skills

Common architectural designer skills

Sketch, 15%
SketchUp, 7%
BIM, 6%
Architectural Design, 6%
Building Codes, 5%
Construction Drawings, 4%

Common draftsperson skills

Revit, 17%
Auto CAD, 9%
Construction Drawings, 8%
Solidworks, 7%
Shop Drawings, 4%
HVAC, 4%