Associate drafter vs contract-drafter

The differences between associate drafters and contract-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 associate drafter and a contract-drafter. Additionally, an associate drafter has an average salary of $52,051, which is higher than the $45,330 average annual salary of a contract-drafter.

The top three skills for an associate drafter include GD, shop drawings and technical drawings. The most important skills for a contract-drafter are autocad, solidworks, and auto-cad.

Associate drafter vs contract-drafter overview

	Associate Drafter	Contract-Drafter
Yearly salary	$52,051	$45,330
Hourly rate	$25.02	$21.79
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	2,109	10,033
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 55%	Associate Degree, 52%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	12	12

Associate drafter vs contract-drafter salary

Associate drafters and contract-drafters have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Associate Drafter	Contract-Drafter
Average salary	$52,051	$45,330
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $69,000	Between $33,000 And $61,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between associate drafter and contract-drafter education

There are a few differences between an associate drafter and a contract-drafter in terms of educational background:

	Associate Drafter	Contract-Drafter
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 55%	Associate Degree, 52%
Most common major	Drafting And Design	Drafting And Design
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Carnegie Mellon University

Associate drafter vs contract-drafter demographics

Here are the differences between associate drafters' and contract-drafters' demographics:

	Associate Drafter	Contract-Drafter
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 56.3% Female, 43.7%	Male, 73.4% Female, 26.6%
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 associate drafter and contract-drafter duties and responsibilities

Associate drafter example responsibilities.

Manage the design history of 3D part models, assemblies, and drawings using PDM software.
Develop, organize and maintain AutoCAD standards for designers to use resulting in efficient production and time management.
Update stock plans as necessary according to AMDA standards.

Contract-drafter example responsibilities.

Manage the design history of 3D part models, assemblies, and drawings using PDM software.
Produce HVAC and plumbing drawings in AutoCADD MEP, complete mark ups, and create designs from rough sketches.
Develop elevations with horizontal and vertical section detail drawings.
Create detailed drawings of parts for manufacture with BOMs.
Create detailed drawings of parts for manufacture with BOMs, including sheet metal and plastic molding.
Experience with Intralink and PDM.

Associate drafter vs contract-drafter skills

Common associate drafter skills

GD, 73%
Shop Drawings, 13%
Technical Drawings, 9%
Autodesk, 5%

Common contract-drafter skills

Autocad, 34%
Solidworks, 13%
Auto-Cad, 11%
R, 6%
Revit, 6%
Creo, 6%