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The differences between computer aided drafters and mechanical 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 computer aided drafter, becoming a mechanical design drafter takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a mechanical design drafter has an average salary of $58,371, which is higher than the $43,520 average annual salary of a computer aided drafter.
The top three skills for a computer aided drafter include cad standards, revit and aided design. The most important skills for a mechanical design drafter are design layouts, creo, and assembly drawings.
| Computer Aided Drafter | Mechanical Design Drafter | |
| Yearly salary | $43,520 | $58,371 |
| Hourly rate | $20.92 | $28.06 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 16,907 | 54,189 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 52% | Associate Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
A computer-aided drafter is responsible for creating designs, usually for industrial manufacturing and construction projects, using computer-aided software systems and applications. Computer-aided drafters should have excellent command in programming languages and navigating computer system codes to develop a technical output, following the clients' specifications and business requirements. They also work closely with design engineers to discuss dimensions, costs, materials, and production processes. A computer-aided drafter must be highly communicative and organizational, incorporating all the schematics, developing operational manuals, and performing draft adjustment as needed.
Mechanical design drafter develops detailed mechanical equipment designs and specifications needed for assembly and modifies them to repair defects and to minimize problems in the production. He/she often works with architects and engineers either in an office or via job sites with hands-on experience in computer-aided design (CAD) software and building processes, visual aptitude, and mathematical skills. However, the demand for drafters tempered as CAD and building information modeling (BIM) technologies allows architects and engineers to perform tasks that are usually done by a mechanical design drafter.
Computer aided drafters and mechanical design drafters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Computer Aided Drafter | Mechanical Design Drafter | |
| Average salary | $43,520 | $58,371 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $57,000 | Between $45,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | Kearny, NJ | Fremont, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Johnson Controls | Salt River Project |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a computer aided drafter and a mechanical design drafter in terms of educational background:
| Computer Aided Drafter | Mechanical Design Drafter | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 52% | Associate Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between computer aided drafters' and mechanical design drafters' demographics:
| Computer Aided Drafter | Mechanical Design Drafter | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.2% Female, 25.8% | Male, 87.7% Female, 12.3% |
| 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% |