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Senior drafter vs truss designer

The differences between senior drafters and truss designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a senior drafter and a truss designer. Additionally, a truss designer has an average salary of $50,866, which is higher than the $44,988 average annual salary of a senior drafter.

The top three skills for a senior drafter include autocad, layout drawings and cad standards. The most important skills for a truss designer are mitek, design software, and auto cad.

Senior drafter vs truss designer overview

Senior DrafterTruss Designer
Yearly salary$44,988$50,866
Hourly rate$21.63$24.45
Growth rate-3%-3%
Number of jobs3,18945,424
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 61%Associate Degree, 46%
Average age4545
Years of experience1212

Senior drafter vs truss designer salary

Senior drafters and truss designers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior DrafterTruss Designer
Average salary$44,988$50,866
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $60,000Between $36,000 And $70,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between senior drafter and truss designer education

There are a few differences between a senior drafter and a truss designer in terms of educational background:

Senior DrafterTruss Designer
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 61%Associate Degree, 46%
Most common majorDrafting And DesignDrafting And Design
Most common collegeCarnegie Mellon UniversityCarnegie Mellon University

Senior drafter vs truss designer demographics

Here are the differences between senior drafters' and truss designers' demographics:

Senior DrafterTruss Designer
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 75.4% Female, 24.6%Male, 85.8% Female, 14.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 7.0% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between senior drafter and truss designer duties and responsibilities

Senior drafter example responsibilities.

  • Manage the design history of 3D part models, assemblies, and drawings using PDM software.
  • Produce design and construction drawings electrical and HVAC departments for commercial and residential projects per applicable national codes and regulations.
  • Create BIM design from concept.
  • Detail and draft structures in Revit.
  • Maintain an engineering change notice (ECN) system.
  • Design HVAC and plumbing layouts on existing architectural xrefs.
  • Show more

Truss designer example responsibilities.

  • Lead the development of BIM modeling content for the architecture team as a direct report to the executive and lead architects.
  • Provide engineering drawings, material estimates, GIS.
  • Develop software creativity skills designing commercial and residential trusses using MiTek 3D truss design software.
  • Set up and operate both manual and CNC machining equipment.
  • Program and operate CNC Emco and CNC Hurco fabrication machinery.
  • Research and purchase materials require for project completion from BOM take-off.
  • Show more

Senior drafter vs truss designer skills

Common senior drafter skills
  • Autocad, 25%
  • Layout Drawings, 7%
  • CAD Standards, 5%
  • Engineering Drawings, 4%
  • Aided Design, 4%
  • Revit, 4%
Common truss designer skills
  • Mitek, 20%
  • Design Software, 17%
  • Auto CAD, 16%
  • Layout Design, 13%
  • Roof Trusses, 6%
  • Engineering Software, 4%

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