Draftsperson vs drafting engineer

The differences between draftspeople and drafting engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a draftsperson, becoming a drafting engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a drafting engineer has an average salary of $50,871, which is higher than the $41,751 average annual salary of a draftsperson.

The top three skills for a draftsperson include revit, auto cad and construction drawings. The most important skills for a drafting engineer are production drawings, engineering drawings, and auto cad.

Draftsperson vs drafting engineer overview

	Draftsperson	Drafting Engineer
Yearly salary	$41,751	$50,871
Hourly rate	$20.07	$24.46
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	1,448	8,823
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Associate Degree, 45%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	12	4

Draftsperson vs drafting engineer salary

Draftspeople and drafting engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Draftsperson	Drafting Engineer
Average salary	$41,751	$50,871
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $63,000	Between $36,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	Union City, CA
Highest paying state	New York	California
Best paying company	Basin Electric Power Cooperative	Huitt-Zollars
Best paying industry	Technology	Utilities

Differences between draftsperson and drafting engineer education

There are a few differences between a draftsperson and a drafting engineer in terms of educational background:

	Draftsperson	Drafting Engineer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Associate Degree, 45%
Most common major	Drafting And Design	Drafting And Design
Most common college	Carnegie Mellon University	Northwestern University

Draftsperson vs drafting engineer demographics

Here are the differences between draftspeople' and drafting engineers' demographics:

	Draftsperson	Drafting Engineer
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 51.8% Female, 48.2%	Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0%
Race ratio	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%	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%

Differences between draftsperson and drafting engineer duties and responsibilities

Draftsperson example responsibilities.

sketch 2D models , 3D models, manage drawing files etc .....
Manage the technical coordination between the structural and MEP engineers along with incorporating any owner relate changes in project scope.
Assist with updating architectural drawings, HVAC drawings, electrical drawings and contractor's 'as-built' drawings on an as-need basis.
Produce complex 3D models and 2D production drawings using SolidWorks and AutoCAD R14.
Prepare detail 3D drawings using Revit and other coordination software (Navisworks, Revizto) of HVAC mechanical piping systems.
Create TWD files for CNC output

Drafting engineer example responsibilities.

Install and test PLC in client own equipment on site - solve some logical and hardware issues to accomplish goal
Add ECO's revision notations.
Issue bill of material (BOM) for assemble parts.
Set up first runs for new parts and troubleshot new part CNC programs.
Coordinate with various GIS /FIS professionals to resolve field changes and/or field-to-map discrepancies.
Select as part of BCA evaluation team to implement CATIA for engineering digital design.

Draftsperson vs drafting engineer skills

Common draftsperson skills

Revit, 17%
Auto CAD, 9%
Construction Drawings, 8%
Solidworks, 7%
Shop Drawings, 4%
HVAC, 4%

Common drafting engineer skills

Production Drawings, 6%
Engineering Drawings, 6%
Auto CAD, 5%
As-Built Drawings, 5%
Shop Drawings, 5%
Architectural Drawings, 5%