Drawing checker vs mechanical design drafter

The differences between drawing checkers and mechanical design drafters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a drawing checker and a mechanical design drafter. Additionally, a drawing checker has an average salary of $63,658, which is higher than the $58,371 average annual salary of a mechanical design drafter.

The top three skills for a drawing checker include mechanical drawings, creo and CAD. The most important skills for a mechanical design drafter are design layouts, creo, and assembly drawings.

Drawing checker vs mechanical design drafter overview

	Drawing Checker	Mechanical Design Drafter
Yearly salary	$63,658	$58,371
Hourly rate	$30.60	$28.06
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	7,574	54,189
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 39%	Associate Degree, 56%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	4	4

Drawing checker vs mechanical design drafter salary

Drawing checkers and mechanical design drafters have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Drawing Checker	Mechanical Design Drafter
Average salary	$63,658	$58,371
Salary range	Between $43,000 And $94,000	Between $45,000 And $75,000
Highest paying City	-	Fremont, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Salt River Project
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between drawing checker and mechanical design drafter education

There are a few differences between a drawing checker and a mechanical design drafter in terms of educational background:

	Drawing Checker	Mechanical Design Drafter
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 39%	Associate Degree, 56%
Most common major	Drafting And Design	Drafting And Design
Most common college	Northwestern University	Northwestern University

Drawing checker vs mechanical design drafter demographics

Here are the differences between drawing checkers' and mechanical design drafters' demographics:

	Drawing Checker	Mechanical Design Drafter
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 78.2% Female, 21.8%	Male, 87.7% Female, 12.3%
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, 3.0% 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 drawing checker and mechanical design drafter duties and responsibilities

Drawing checker example responsibilities.

Develop custom macros for SolidWorks to automate many redundant processes.
Model checking perform utilizing Creo ModelCHECK in accordance with NASA and MSFC modeling standards.
Sheet metal & machine part design using Creo.
Design linear transducers and print wiring boards for commercial/military aircraft and aerospace applications.
Assist in the design of heating and cooling pipes for spacecraft and electronic systems.
Provide guidance and training to new hire engineers/designers on design best practices and drafting standards.

Mechanical design drafter example responsibilities.

Calculate requirements and manage HVAC systems, including design, development, compliance, testing, troubleshooting and repair.
Incorporate ECO's to update and revise the drawings and BOM's on military aircraft antenna test equipment.
Generate ECR's and ECN's to accommodate customer's requirements.
Convert 2D drawings into 3D assemblies that can be include into SolidWork's PDM environment.
Train manufacturing employees on CNC tube benders and how to utilize manufacturing jig and fixtures.
Supervise 8-member shop including : 2 CNC lathes , 2 manual lathes , 1 milling machine and 3 motor technicians.

Drawing checker vs mechanical design drafter skills

Common drawing checker skills

Mechanical Drawings, 33%
Creo, 29%
CAD, 17%
Dimensional Accuracy, 15%
Asme Y14, 4%
Shop Drawings, 3%

Common mechanical design drafter skills

Design Layouts, 6%
Creo, 6%
Assembly Drawings, 6%
Aided Design, 5%
GD, 5%
Auto CAD, 4%

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Drawing Checker vs Mechanical Design Drafter

Updated January 8, 2025

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