Plumbing drafter vs mechanical draftsman

The differences between plumbing drafters and mechanical draftsmen can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a plumbing drafter and a mechanical draftsman. Additionally, a plumbing drafter has an average salary of $51,774, which is higher than the $40,926 average annual salary of a mechanical draftsman.

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

Plumbing drafter vs mechanical draftsman overview

	Plumbing Drafter	Mechanical Draftsman
Yearly salary	$51,774	$40,926
Hourly rate	$24.89	$19.68
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	3,227	17,516
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 74%	Associate Degree, 54%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	4	4

Plumbing drafter vs mechanical draftsman salary

Plumbing drafters and mechanical draftsmen have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Plumbing Drafter	Mechanical Draftsman
Average salary	$51,774	$40,926
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $69,000	Between $33,000 And $50,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between plumbing drafter and mechanical draftsman education

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

	Plumbing Drafter	Mechanical Draftsman
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 74%	Associate Degree, 54%
Most common major	Drafting And Design	Drafting And Design
Most common college	Northwestern University	Northwestern University

Plumbing drafter vs mechanical draftsman demographics

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

	Plumbing Drafter	Mechanical Draftsman
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1%	Male, 94.1% Female, 5.9%
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%

Differences between plumbing drafter and mechanical draftsman duties and responsibilities

Plumbing drafter example responsibilities.

Draft drawings on computer of the HVAC.
Create all require drawings necessary to the complete construction installation of the plumbing system in commercial buildings new and remodels.
Complete dimensional documentation, BOM, structural frame welding and assembly documentation.
Input bearings and points using LDD software.

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.

Plumbing drafter vs mechanical draftsman skills

Common plumbing drafter skills

Plumbing, 43%
HVAC, 21%
Revit, 19%
Engineering Drawings, 14%
Fire Protection, 3%

Common mechanical draftsman skills

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

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Plumbing Drafter vs Mechanical Draftsman

Updated January 8, 2025

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