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The differences between cadd drafters and design drafters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a cadd drafter, becoming a design drafter takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a design drafter has an average salary of $50,021, which is higher than the $49,161 average annual salary of a cadd drafter.
The top three skills for a cadd drafter include civil 3d, civil design and shop drawings. The most important skills for a design drafter are layout drawings, auto cad, and engineering drawings.
| Cadd Drafter | Design Drafter | |
| Yearly salary | $49,161 | $50,021 |
| Hourly rate | $23.64 | $24.05 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 2,268 | 39,125 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 56% | Associate Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
A CAAD drafter specializes in producing technical drafts and designs for different industries, such as manufacturing, automotive, and even construction. They primarily use computer-aided special software to develop new sketches, enhancing existing designs when necessary. Their duties include meeting with clients or managers to identify and understand project requirements, conducting research and analyses, creating drafts for client approval, and revising drafts as necessary. Moreover, as a CAAD drafter, it is essential to coordinate and maintain an open communication line with engineers and team members for a smooth and efficient workflow.
A design drafter is responsible for creating a technical draft of the architects' and engineers' designs using various software applications. Design drafters analyze schematics and blueprints and compare the specifications to the draft, ensuring all the features' accuracy. They review structural details and perform adjustments based on the building techniques standards. A design drafter must have excellent knowledge with the engineering disciplines, as well as manufacturing processes to determine dimensions and minimize material costs without compromising the construction quality.
Cadd drafters and design drafters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cadd Drafter | Design Drafter | |
| Average salary | $49,161 | $50,021 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $65,000 | Between $37,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Apple |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a cadd drafter and a design drafter in terms of educational background:
| Cadd Drafter | Design Drafter | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 56% | Associate Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | LeTourneau University |
Here are the differences between cadd drafters' and design drafters' demographics:
| Cadd Drafter | Design Drafter | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.6% Female, 25.4% | Male, 80.1% Female, 19.9% |
| 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, 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 | 6% | 6% |