Structural drafter vs contract-drafter

The differences between structural drafters and contract-drafters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a structural drafter and a contract-drafter. Additionally, a structural drafter has an average salary of $48,536, which is higher than the $45,330 average annual salary of a contract-drafter.

The top three skills for a structural drafter include revit, shop drawings and structural drawings. The most important skills for a contract-drafter are autocad, solidworks, and auto-cad.

Structural drafter vs contract-drafter overview

	Structural Drafter	Contract-Drafter
Yearly salary	$48,536	$45,330
Hourly rate	$23.33	$21.79
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	4,685	10,033
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 63%	Associate Degree, 52%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	12	12

Structural drafter vs contract-drafter salary

Structural drafters and contract-drafters have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Structural Drafter	Contract-Drafter
Average salary	$48,536	$45,330
Salary range	Between $36,000 And $64,000	Between $33,000 And $61,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	-
Highest paying state	California	-
Best paying company	Jacobs Engineering Group	-
Best paying industry	Energy	-

Differences between structural drafter and contract-drafter education

There are a few differences between a structural drafter and a contract-drafter in terms of educational background:

	Structural Drafter	Contract-Drafter
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 63%	Associate Degree, 52%
Most common major	Drafting And Design	Drafting And Design
Most common college	Carnegie Mellon University	Carnegie Mellon University

Structural drafter vs contract-drafter demographics

Here are the differences between structural drafters' and contract-drafters' demographics:

	Structural Drafter	Contract-Drafter
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 78.9% Female, 21.1%	Male, 73.4% Female, 26.6%
Race ratio	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%	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 Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between structural drafter and contract-drafter duties and responsibilities

Structural drafter example responsibilities.

Create as-built AutoCAD and Revit structural drawings for existing conditions.
Create CNC nesting programs for wood, plastic, and graphics.
Create automated schedules, sections, views and plans from Revit database content.
Produce molding samples, analyze pressure & temperature control, CNC part programme adjustments.
Inspect electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, mold, insulation, damages, & conditions of the house.
Develop elevations with horizontal and vertical section detail drawings.

Contract-drafter example responsibilities.

Manage the design history of 3D part models, assemblies, and drawings using PDM software.
Produce HVAC and plumbing drawings in AutoCADD MEP, complete mark ups, and create designs from rough sketches.
Develop elevations with horizontal and vertical section detail drawings.
Create detailed drawings of parts for manufacture with BOMs.
Create detailed drawings of parts for manufacture with BOMs, including sheet metal and plastic molding.
Experience with Intralink and PDM.

Structural drafter vs contract-drafter skills

Common structural drafter skills

Revit, 25%
Shop Drawings, 11%
Structural Drawings, 8%
Elevations, 6%
BIM, 6%
Construction Drawings, 5%

Common contract-drafter skills

Autocad, 34%
Solidworks, 13%
Auto-Cad, 11%
R, 6%
Revit, 6%
Creo, 6%