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The differences between truss designers and mechanical designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a truss designer, becoming a mechanical designer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a mechanical designer has an average salary of $62,541, which is higher than the $50,866 average annual salary of a truss designer.
The top three skills for a truss designer include mitek, design software and auto cad. The most important skills for a mechanical designer are mechanical design, revit, and auto cad.
| Truss Designer | Mechanical Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $50,866 | $62,541 |
| Hourly rate | $24.45 | $30.07 |
| Growth rate | -3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 45,424 | 65,748 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | Associate Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
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 mechanical designer is responsible for designing mechanical equipment and devices, together with the engineers and other technology professionals. Mechanical designers create layouts following the clients' specifications, perform structural analysis, and analyze dimensions to ensure quality. They also inspect overall equipment performance and recommend adjustments as needed to improve its quality and boost optimization. Mechanical designers assist with installation and system upgrades, respond with the clients' inquiries and concerns, and escalate it to the appropriate personnel for resolution. A mechanical designer must have a strong knowledge of the mechanical and technology industry to build designs according to the highest standards.
Truss designers and mechanical designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Truss Designer | Mechanical Designer | |
| Average salary | $50,866 | $62,541 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $70,000 | Between $46,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | - | Apple |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between a truss designer and a mechanical designer in terms of educational background:
| Truss Designer | Mechanical Designer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | Associate Degree, 51% |
| 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 mechanical designers' demographics:
| Truss Designer | Mechanical Designer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.8% Female, 14.2% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| 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, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 10.5% White, 72.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |