Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between electrical drafters and mechanical designers 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 mechanical designer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a mechanical designer has an average salary of $62,541, which is higher than the $52,027 average annual salary of an electrical drafter.
The top three skills for an electrical drafter include autocad electrical, revit and design software. The most important skills for a mechanical designer are mechanical design, revit, and auto cad.
| Electrical Drafter | Mechanical Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $52,027 | $62,541 |
| Hourly rate | $25.01 | $30.07 |
| Growth rate | -3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 30,376 | 65,748 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 63% | Associate Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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 mechanical designer is responsible for designing mechanical equipment and devices, together with the engineers and other technology professionals. Mechanical designers create layouts following the clients' specifications, perform structural analysis, and analyze dimensions to ensure quality. They also inspect overall equipment performance and recommend adjustments as needed to improve its quality and boost optimization. Mechanical designers assist with installation and system upgrades, respond with the clients' inquiries and concerns, and escalate it to the appropriate personnel for resolution. A mechanical designer must have a strong knowledge of the mechanical and technology industry to build designs according to the highest standards.
Electrical drafters and mechanical designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Drafter | Mechanical Designer | |
| Average salary | $52,027 | $62,541 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $66,000 | Between $46,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Stantec | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Energy |
There are a few differences between an electrical drafter and a mechanical designer in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Drafter | Mechanical Designer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 63% | Associate Degree, 51% |
| 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 mechanical designers' demographics:
| Electrical Drafter | Mechanical Designer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.8% Female, 27.2% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| 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, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 10.5% White, 72.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |