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The differences between drafting engineers and design engineers 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 design engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a design engineer has an average salary of $77,134, which is higher than the $50,871 average annual salary of a drafting engineer.
The top three skills for a drafting engineer include production drawings, engineering drawings and auto cad. The most important skills for a design engineer are C++, UL, and project management.
| Drafting Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $50,871 | $77,134 |
| Hourly rate | $24.46 | $37.08 |
| Growth rate | -3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 8,823 | 138,173 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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 design engineer is responsible for creating systems and applications based on their expertise. Design engineers work through client specifications based on business needs. A design engineer also provides recommendations on improving existing systems to boost its performance and increase efficiency. Design engineers must have an excellent command of computer systems, programming codes, and technical data to ensure the system's stability and high-quality processes. A design engineer should also have strong analytical and time-management skills to perform tasks and meet deadlines.
Drafting engineers and design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Drafting Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $50,871 | $77,134 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $71,000 | Between $57,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | Union City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Huitt-Zollars | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Technology |
There are a few differences between a drafting engineer and a design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Drafting Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between drafting engineers' and design engineers' demographics:
| Drafting Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% |
| 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, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |