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The differences between autocad drafters and design specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an autocad drafter, becoming a design specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a design specialist has an average salary of $56,917, which is higher than the $41,984 average annual salary of an autocad drafter.
The top three skills for an autocad drafter include construction drawings, layout drawings and revit. The most important skills for a design specialist are customer service, sketch, and CAD.
| Autocad Drafter | Design Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $41,984 | $56,917 |
| Hourly rate | $20.18 | $27.36 |
| Growth rate | -3% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 2,429 | 68,347 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
An Autocad Drafter develops drawings and plans for the construction and manufacturing industries. They use various types of computer-aided design and drafting software.
A design specialist is responsible for creating engaging visual images and digital content to improve customers' brand awareness about the organization's products and services. Design specialists may also work for media production, creating graphic animations for viewers depending on production requirements and media demands. A design specialist must have excellent knowledge of utilizing various software tools and programs, coordinating with the whole design team on adjusting plans, improving layouts according to budget limitations, and submitting deliverables within the set deadlines.
Autocad drafters and design specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Autocad Drafter | Design Specialist | |
| Average salary | $41,984 | $56,917 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $55,000 | Between $35,000 And $91,000 |
| Highest paying City | Garfield, NJ | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | New York |
| Best paying company | GPAC | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between an autocad drafter and a design specialist in terms of educational background:
| Autocad Drafter | Design Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between autocad drafters' and design specialists' demographics:
| Autocad Drafter | Design Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.3% Female, 27.7% | Male, 55.1% Female, 44.9% |
| 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, 1.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 4.6% White, 82.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 23% |