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The differences between design technicians and drafting technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 8-10 years to become both a design technician and a drafting technician. Additionally, a design technician has an average salary of $62,288, which is higher than the $45,318 average annual salary of a drafting technician.
The top three skills for a design technician include revit, civil 3d and aided design. The most important skills for a drafting technician are engineering drawings, solidworks, and revit.
| Design Technician | Drafting Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $62,288 | $45,318 |
| Hourly rate | $29.95 | $21.79 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 48,394 | 32,427 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | Associate Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 10 |
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 Drafting Technician prepares and supervises the preparation of engineering schematics and drawings, charts, graphs, maps, and illustrations. They work closely with engineers, architects, and technologists.
Design technicians and drafting technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Technician | Drafting Technician | |
| Average salary | $62,288 | $45,318 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $104,000 | Between $31,000 And $65,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Meta | City of Detroit |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between a design technician and a drafting technician in terms of educational background:
| Design Technician | Drafting Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | Associate Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between design technicians' and drafting technicians' demographics:
| Design Technician | Drafting Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.8% Female, 28.2% | Male, 76.4% Female, 23.6% |
| 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, 9.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 7.5% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |