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The differences between design technicians and design 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 design technician, becoming a design drafter takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a design technician has an average salary of $62,288, which is higher than the $50,021 average annual salary of a design drafter.
The top three skills for a design technician include revit, civil 3d and aided design. The most important skills for a design drafter are layout drawings, auto cad, and engineering drawings.
| Design Technician | Design Drafter | |
| Yearly salary | $62,288 | $50,021 |
| Hourly rate | $29.95 | $24.05 |
| Growth rate | - | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 48,394 | 39,125 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | Associate Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 4 |
A design technician's role revolves around conducting extensive research and analysis to determine a company's needs. The technician will develop system plans and collaborate with fellow technicians and engineers. There are also instances where a design technician has to craft presentations and hand in proposals, revising them when necessary. Furthermore, a design technician must produce progress reports, abide by managers' directions, and adhere to the company's policies and regulations.
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.
Design technicians and design drafters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Technician | Design Drafter | |
| Average salary | $62,288 | $50,021 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $104,000 | Between $37,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a design technician and a design drafter in terms of educational background:
| Design Technician | Design Drafter | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | 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 design technicians' and design drafters' demographics:
| Design Technician | Design Drafter | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.8% Female, 28.2% | Male, 80.1% Female, 19.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 8.7% White, 59.8% 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% |