Mechanical draftsman vs detail drafter

The differences between mechanical draftsmen and detail 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 mechanical draftsman and a detail drafter. Additionally, a detail drafter has an average salary of $44,472, which is higher than the $40,926 average annual salary of a mechanical draftsman.

The top three skills for a mechanical draftsman include auto cad, assembly drawings and HVAC. The most important skills for a detail drafter are shop drawings, layout drawings, and assembly drawings.

Mechanical draftsman vs detail drafter overview

	Mechanical Draftsman	Detail Drafter
Yearly salary	$40,926	$44,472
Hourly rate	$19.68	$21.38
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	17,516	5,656
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 54%	Associate Degree, 64%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	4	4

Mechanical draftsman vs detail drafter salary

Mechanical draftsmen and detail drafters have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Mechanical Draftsman	Detail Drafter
Average salary	$40,926	$44,472
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $50,000	Between $33,000 And $59,000
Highest paying City	-	Modesto, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Hendrick Manufacturing
Best paying industry	-	Manufacturing

Differences between mechanical draftsman and detail drafter education

There are a few differences between a mechanical draftsman and a detail drafter in terms of educational background:

	Mechanical Draftsman	Detail Drafter
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 54%	Associate Degree, 64%
Most common major	Drafting And Design	Drafting And Design
Most common college	Northwestern University	LeTourneau University

Mechanical draftsman vs detail drafter demographics

Here are the differences between mechanical draftsmen' and detail drafters' demographics:

	Mechanical Draftsman	Detail Drafter
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 94.1% Female, 5.9%	Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2%
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 mechanical draftsman and detail drafter duties and responsibilities

Mechanical draftsman example responsibilities.

Manage ECR and ECO packets to alter documentation specifications.
Manage document collation for field distribution of MEP plans to shop and field.
Manage and supervise other draftsmen.
Design, revise and update mechanical drawings for an automate trash baler, HVAC and conveyor systems.
Coordinate between MEP and prepare project deliverables.
Revise and update mechanical drawing and BOM as required.

Detail drafter example responsibilities.

Create drawings of elevator interiors using SolidWorks
Develop, organize and maintain AutoCAD standards for designers to use resulting in efficient production and time management.
Work perform in PDMS Design/Draft and AutoCAD r.2006.

Mechanical draftsman vs detail drafter skills

Common mechanical draftsman skills

Auto CAD, 12%
Assembly Drawings, 8%
HVAC, 7%
R, 5%
Mechanical Drawings, 5%
BOM, 5%

Common detail drafter skills

Shop Drawings, 13%
Layout Drawings, 9%
Assembly Drawings, 9%
Construction Drawings, 8%
Installation Drawings, 8%
CNC, 5%