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The differences between senior computer aided design designers and structures engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a senior computer aided design designer and a structures engineer. Additionally, a structures engineer has an average salary of $73,391, which is higher than the $72,604 average annual salary of a senior computer aided design designer.
The top three skills for a senior computer aided design designer include autocad, and . The most important skills for a structures engineer are structural analysis, revit, and RISA.
| Senior Computer Aided Design Designer | Structures Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $72,604 | $73,391 |
| Hourly rate | $34.91 | $35.28 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 91,006 | 20,778 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Senior Computer-Aided Designer is focused on creating designs for the organization using specialized computer-based applications. They draft drawings according to industry standards.
A structures engineer works in designing, planning, and overseeing the development of the latest buildings and bridges or modifications and extensions to an existing property or other structures. They are mainly concerned with the safety and capability of the structure to withstand the elements to which they will be exposed--also improving the existing building structural integrity. Part of the task is inspecting properties regarding the conditions/foundation and checking work undertaken by contractors. The job is very similarly related to a civil engineer.
Senior computer aided design designers and structures engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Computer Aided Design Designer | Structures Engineer | |
| Average salary | $72,604 | $73,391 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $121,000 | Between $54,000 And $98,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Apple |
| Best paying industry | - | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a senior computer aided design designer and a structures engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Computer Aided Design Designer | Structures Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between senior computer aided design designers' and structures engineers' demographics:
| Senior Computer Aided Design Designer | Structures Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.9% Female, 24.1% | Male, 84.9% Female, 15.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.9% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 12.1% White, 71.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 17.3% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |