Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between civil engineering technicians and autocad drafters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 8-10 years to become a civil engineering technician, becoming an autocad drafter takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a civil engineering technician has an average salary of $53,829, which is higher than the $41,984 average annual salary of an autocad drafter.
The top three skills for a civil engineering technician include civil 3d, asphalt and construction sites. The most important skills for an autocad drafter are construction drawings, layout drawings, and revit.
| Civil Engineering Technician | Autocad Drafter | |
| Yearly salary | $53,829 | $41,984 |
| Hourly rate | $25.88 | $20.18 |
| Growth rate | - | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 75,756 | 2,429 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 12 |
A civil engineering technician assists civil engineers in planning, designing, and constructing bridges, highways, and other infrastructure projects. Civil engineering technicians typically work under the leadership of licensed civil engineers. They focus on construction projects for industrial, development, residential, and commercial infrastructure. It is imperative for them to have a better understanding and work with systems associated with construction projects. They should be equipped with knowledge of engineering, construction, and reading skills.
An Autocad Drafter develops drawings and plans for the construction and manufacturing industries. They use various types of computer-aided design and drafting software.
Civil engineering technicians and autocad drafters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Civil Engineering Technician | Autocad Drafter | |
| Average salary | $53,829 | $41,984 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $78,000 | Between $31,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | Garfield, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | City of Los Angeles | GPAC |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Government |
There are a few differences between a civil engineering technician and an autocad drafter in terms of educational background:
| Civil Engineering Technician | Autocad Drafter | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between civil engineering technicians' and autocad drafters' demographics:
| Civil Engineering Technician | Autocad Drafter | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.5% Female, 17.5% | Male, 72.3% Female, 27.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.8% 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% |