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The differences between computer designers and computer aided drafters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a computer designer, becoming a computer aided drafter takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a computer designer has an average salary of $66,479, which is higher than the $43,520 average annual salary of a computer aided drafter.
The top three skills for a computer designer include auto cad, solidworks and aided design. The most important skills for a computer aided drafter are cad standards, revit, and aided design.
| Computer Designer | Computer Aided Drafter | |
| Yearly salary | $66,479 | $43,520 |
| Hourly rate | $31.96 | $20.92 |
| Growth rate | 1% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 57,043 | 16,907 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Associate Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
Computer designers and computer aided drafters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Computer Designer | Computer Aided Drafter | |
| Average salary | $66,479 | $43,520 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $109,000 | Between $33,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Kearny, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Johnson Controls | |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Professional |
There are a few differences between a computer designer and a computer aided drafter in terms of educational background:
| Computer Designer | Computer Aided Drafter | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Associate Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between computer designers' and computer aided drafters' demographics:
| Computer Designer | Computer Aided Drafter | |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4% | Male, 74.2% Female, 25.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 23% | 6% |