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The differences between electrical drafters 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 an electrical drafter, becoming a computer aided drafter takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an electrical drafter has an average salary of $52,027, which is higher than the $43,520 average annual salary of a computer aided drafter.
The top three skills for an electrical drafter include autocad electrical, revit and design software. The most important skills for a computer aided drafter are cad standards, revit, and aided design.
| Electrical Drafter | Computer Aided Drafter | |
| Yearly salary | $52,027 | $43,520 |
| Hourly rate | $25.01 | $20.92 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 30,376 | 16,907 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 63% | Associate Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
An electrical drafter specializes in designing electrical wiring systems in coordination with engineers and architects, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities include performing extensive research and analysis, drawing detailed diagrams, examining sites and available resources, and establishing technical guidelines. They may also review installation diagrams and documentation, assist technicians, and address issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as an electrical drafter, it is essential to adhere to deadlines and goals, including the company's safety policies and regulations.
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.
Electrical drafters and computer aided drafters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Drafter | Computer Aided Drafter | |
| Average salary | $52,027 | $43,520 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $66,000 | Between $33,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Kearny, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Stantec | Johnson Controls |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Professional |
There are a few differences between an electrical drafter and a computer aided drafter in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Drafter | Computer Aided Drafter | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 63% | Associate Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between electrical drafters' and computer aided drafters' demographics:
| Electrical Drafter | Computer Aided Drafter | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.8% Female, 27.2% | 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% |