Compare A Architectural Drafter ↔ B Computer Hardware Engineer

Compare with

Your route

2 moves · +$100,540 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Electronic Design Engineer: license depends on the work (Texas PE license (TBPELS) is required for the practice of engineering as defined in Occ. Code 1001.003; whether this job needs it depends on the work).
Move 2, to Computer Hardware Engineer: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Architectural Drafter to Electronic Design Engineer +$68,900 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Electronics Engineers, Except Computer as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.66 (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates: license depends on the work (Texas PE license (TBPELS) is required for the practice of engineering as defined in Occ. Code 1001.003; whether this job needs it depends on the work).
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Electronic Design Engineer to Computer Hardware Engineer +$31,640 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Computer Hardware Engineers as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.93 (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates checked: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).

Side by side

All Computer Hardware Engineers: Texas median $163,860, $100,540 more a year than all Architectural and Civil Drafters ($63,320), every experience level.

Computer Hardware Engineer: 76% work more than 40 hours a week, about 3 times the share for Architectural Drafter (26%).

Occupation-wide pay all experience levels, not this level's pay; Texas median, base pay, $0 to $300k

$63,320+$100,540$163,860

Gates on the route: Electronic Design Engineer: license depends on the work (Texas PE license (TBPELS) is required for the practice of engineering as defined in Occ. Code 1001.003; whether this job needs it depends on the work).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +15.1% Texas, 1,390 openings a year

B +17.4% Texas, 230 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

26%+50 pts76%

Physical load our index from O*NET, 1 to 5; A B; largest differences first

1.4 / 5+0.01.3 / 5

Outdoors, all weather-0.59Outdoors, all weather: A 1.96, B 1.37
High places-0.57High places: A 1.64, B 1.07
Hazardous conditions+0.22Hazardous conditions: A 1.21, B 1.43
Keeping balance+0.19Keeping balance: A 1.06, B 1.25
Bending or twisting+0.18Bending or twisting: A 1.14, B 1.32

Degree

A Most people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher (O*NET: 62%).

B Most people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher (O*NET: 93%).

License

A No license for this job title at the 8 Texas and federal licensing agencies read on 2026-10-03 (TDLR, TSBPE, TCEQ, TCFP, TEA, TBPELS, NRC and EPA).

B Texas PE license (TBPELS) is required for the practice of engineering as defined in Occ. Code 1001.003; whether this job needs it depends on the work.

Experience

A Most common related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET: 25%).

B Most common related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET: 28%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Reading Comprehension
Judgment and Decision Making
Mathematics
Coordination
Monitoring
Time Management

To build: 6

Operations Analysis +1.26
Operations Monitoring +1.12
Complex Problem Solving +0.76
Active Learning +0.63
Speaking +0.63
Systems Evaluation +0.63

Make this your goal

Save Architectural Drafter to Computer Hardware Engineer as your goal. Each step then shows the hours you have logged toward it, your exam practice and your license, with the one thing to do next and the 6 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.