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The differences between electrical drafters and 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 an electrical drafter and a design drafter. Additionally, an electrical drafter has an average salary of $52,027, which is higher than the $50,021 average annual salary of a design drafter.
The top three skills for an electrical drafter include autocad electrical, revit and design software. The most important skills for a design drafter are layout drawings, auto cad, and engineering drawings.
| Electrical Drafter | Design Drafter | |
| Yearly salary | $52,027 | $50,021 |
| Hourly rate | $25.01 | $24.05 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 30,376 | 39,125 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 63% | Associate Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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 design drafter is responsible for creating a technical draft of the architects' and engineers' designs using various software applications. Design drafters analyze schematics and blueprints and compare the specifications to the draft, ensuring all the features' accuracy. They review structural details and perform adjustments based on the building techniques standards. A design drafter must have excellent knowledge with the engineering disciplines, as well as manufacturing processes to determine dimensions and minimize material costs without compromising the construction quality.
Electrical drafters and design drafters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Drafter | Design Drafter | |
| Average salary | $52,027 | $50,021 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $66,000 | Between $37,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | California |
| Best paying company | Stantec | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Finance |
There are a few differences between an electrical drafter and a design drafter in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Drafter | Design Drafter | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 63% | Associate Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | LeTourneau University |
Here are the differences between electrical drafters' and design drafters' demographics:
| Electrical Drafter | Design Drafter | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.8% Female, 27.2% | Male, 80.1% Female, 19.9% |
| 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% |