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The differences between truss designers and computer aided 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 truss designer and a computer aided drafter. Additionally, a truss designer has an average salary of $50,866, which is higher than the $43,520 average annual salary of a computer aided drafter.
The top three skills for a truss designer include mitek, design software and auto cad. The most important skills for a computer aided drafter are cad standards, revit, and aided design.
| Truss Designer | Computer Aided Drafter | |
| Yearly salary | $50,866 | $43,520 |
| Hourly rate | $24.45 | $20.92 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 45,424 | 16,907 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | Associate Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A truss designer's major responsibility is to design layouts for floors and roofs. They work with architects and engineers to ensure the feasibility of new designs. They also develop schematics through computer-aided design (CAD) software. They are required to work on layouts for roofs and flooring for both residential and commercial buildings.
A computer-aided drafter is responsible for creating designs, usually for industrial manufacturing and construction projects, using computer-aided software systems and applications. Computer-aided drafters should have excellent command in programming languages and navigating computer system codes to develop a technical output, following the clients' specifications and business requirements. They also work closely with design engineers to discuss dimensions, costs, materials, and production processes. A computer-aided drafter must be highly communicative and organizational, incorporating all the schematics, developing operational manuals, and performing draft adjustment as needed.
Truss designers and computer aided drafters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Truss Designer | Computer Aided Drafter | |
| Average salary | $50,866 | $43,520 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $70,000 | Between $33,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Kearny, NJ |
| Highest paying state | - | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | - | Johnson Controls |
| Best paying industry | - | Professional |
There are a few differences between a truss designer and a computer aided drafter in terms of educational background:
| Truss Designer | Computer Aided Drafter | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | Associate Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Drafting And Design | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between truss designers' and computer aided drafters' demographics:
| Truss Designer | Computer Aided Drafter | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.8% Female, 14.2% | Male, 74.2% Female, 25.8% |
| 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% |