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The differences between drafting engineers 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 drafting engineer, becoming a computer aided drafter takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a drafting engineer has an average salary of $50,871, which is higher than the $43,520 average annual salary of a computer aided drafter.
The top three skills for a drafting engineer include production drawings, engineering drawings and auto cad. The most important skills for a computer aided drafter are cad standards, revit, and aided design.
| Drafting Engineer | Computer Aided Drafter | |
| Yearly salary | $50,871 | $43,520 |
| Hourly rate | $24.46 | $20.92 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 8,823 | 16,907 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 45% | Associate Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
A Drafting Engineer designs and draws the blueprints needed to bring new concepts and products to life. There are three major types of drafting positions: mechanical drafters, electrical and electronics drafters, and architectural and civil drafters.
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.
Drafting engineers and computer aided drafters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Drafting Engineer | Computer Aided Drafter | |
| Average salary | $50,871 | $43,520 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $71,000 | Between $33,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | Union City, CA | Kearny, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Huitt-Zollars | Johnson Controls |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Professional |
There are a few differences between a drafting engineer and a computer aided drafter in terms of educational background:
| Drafting Engineer | Computer Aided Drafter | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 45% | Associate Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between drafting engineers' and computer aided drafters' demographics:
| Drafting Engineer | Computer Aided Drafter | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% | Male, 74.2% Female, 25.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |