Compare A Chemical Engineer ↔ B Architectural Drafter

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Your route

3 moves · -$69,430 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Industrial Engineer: experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET, most common).
Move 2, to Facilities Engineering Manager: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).
Move 3, to Architectural Drafter: 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
Chemical Engineer to Industrial Engineer -$28,190 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Industrial Engineers as a related occupation (Primary-Long); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.81.
- Gates: experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET, most common).
- Skills to build: Active Listening, Writing
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Industrial Engineer to Facilities Engineering Manager +$66,810 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Architectural and Engineering Managers as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.91 (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).
Move 3 Transfer move to the side
Facilities Engineering Manager to Architectural Drafter -$108,050 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Architectural and Civil Drafters as a related occupation (Primary-Long); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.90.
- 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 Architectural and Civil Drafters: Texas median $63,320, $69,430 less a year than all Chemical Engineers ($132,750), every experience level.

Chemical Engineer: 70% work more than 40 hours a week, about 2.7 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

$132,750-$69,430$63,320

Gates on the route: Industrial Engineer: experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET, most common).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +8.0% Texas, 160 openings a year

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

Over 40 h a week

70%-44 pts26%

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

2.0 / 5-0.61.4 / 5

Hazardous conditions-1.57Hazardous conditions: A 2.78, B 1.21
Protective gear-1.30Protective gear: A 2.3, B 1
Hazardous equipment-1.19Hazardous equipment: A 2.39, B 1.2
Outdoors, all weather-0.91Outdoors, all weather: A 2.87, B 1.96
Very hot or cold-0.89Very hot or cold: A 2.3, B 1.41

Degree

A Most people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher (O*NET: 100%).

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

License

A 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.

B 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).

Experience

A Most common related work experience: none (O*NET: 30%).

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

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Reading Comprehension
Critical Thinking
Active Listening
Judgment and Decision Making
Coordination
Monitoring

To build: 0

Make this your goal

Save Chemical Engineer to Architectural Drafter 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. Free with an account.