Compare A Electrical Engineer ↔ B Mechanical Design Drafter
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2 moves
No pay difference shown for this route: no single published pay schedule names every stop, and the occupation medians are not like for like on every move.
Gates on this route
- Move 1, to Facilities Engineer (Electrical): no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).
- Move 2, to Mechanical Design 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
Electrical Engineer to Facilities Engineer (Electrical)
- Same O*NET occupation (17-2071.00 Electrical Engineers): O*NET lists both job titles under it; same tasks and skills data.
- Gates checked: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Facilities Engineer (Electrical) to Mechanical Design Drafter
- Skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.89 (one of the 3 most similar occupations, r >= 0.6).
- 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 Mechanical Drafters: Texas median $79,380, $50,070 less a year than all Electrical Engineers ($129,450), every experience level.
More than 40 hours a week: Mechanical Design Drafter 44%, Electrical Engineer 58%.
This level's pay
A $102,000 a year H-1B filings, n = 149, TX+AZ, 2026
B No headline record for this level
No published schedule lists both jobs, so no level-specific difference is shown.
Occupation-wide pay all experience levels, not this level's pay; Texas median, base pay, $0 to $300k
Gates checked: No degree, license or hours gate on these moves in O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for each job.
Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation
A +14.0% Texas, 1,060 openings a year
B -0.4% Texas, 300 openings a year
Over 40 h a week
Physical load our index from O*NET, 1 to 5; A B; largest differences first
2.0 / 5-0.51.5 / 5
- Hazardous conditions-1.09Hazardous conditions: A 2.24, B 1.15
- Outdoors, all weather-0.89Outdoors, all weather: A 2.21, B 1.32
- Cramped space-0.88Cramped space: A 2.01, B 1.13
- Very hot or cold-0.85Very hot or cold: A 2.39, B 1.54
- High places-0.54High places: A 1.81, B 1.27
Degree
A Most people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher (O*NET: 89%).
B Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 19% do).
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: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET: 30%).
B Most common related work experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET: 30%).
Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5
You likely have: 6
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Active Listening
- Complex Problem Solving
- Mathematics
- Reading Comprehension
To build: 0
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Save Electrical Engineer to Mechanical Design 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.
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