Compare A Electrical Drafter ↔ B Computer Hardware Engineer
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1 move · +$83,240 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
Gates on this route
- Move 1, to Computer Hardware Engineer: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in Computer Hardware Engineer hold one), 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 1 Transfer move to the side
Electrical Drafter to Computer Hardware Engineer +$83,240 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 = 0.84 (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in Computer Hardware Engineer hold one), 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).
Side by side
All Computer Hardware Engineers: Texas median $163,860, $83,240 more a year than all Electrical and Electronics Drafters ($80,620), every experience level.
Computer Hardware Engineer: 76% work more than 40 hours a week, about 2.1 times the share for Electrical Drafter (36%).
Occupation-wide pay all experience levels, not this level's pay; Texas median, base pay, $0 to $300k
Gates on the route: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in Computer Hardware Engineer hold one), 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 +0.9% Texas, 220 openings a year
B +17.4% Texas, 230 openings a year
Over 40 h a week
Physical load our index from O*NET, 1 to 5; A B; largest differences first
1.5 / 5-0.21.3 / 5
- Outdoors, all weather-0.74Outdoors, all weather: A 2.11, B 1.37
- Hazardous conditions-0.57Hazardous conditions: A 2, B 1.43
- Very hot or cold-0.46Very hot or cold: A 1.76, B 1.3
- Hazardous equipment-0.41Hazardous equipment: A 1.62, B 1.21
- Walking or running-0.31Walking or running: A 1.9, B 1.59
Degree
A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 43% do).
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 6 months, up to and including 1 year (O*NET: 30%).
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: 5
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Coordination
- Monitoring
- Time Management
- Instructing
To build: 6
- Operations Analysis +0.76
- Operations Monitoring +0.75
- Speaking +0.63
- Reading Comprehension +0.62
- Active Learning +0.50
- Complex Problem Solving +0.50
Make this your goal
Save Electrical 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.
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