Compare A Mechanical Design Drafter ↔ B Electronic Design Engineer

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Your route

1 move · +$52,840 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Electronic Design Engineer: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in Electronic Design 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
Mechanical Design Drafter to Electronic Design Engineer +$52,840 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 = 0.83 (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in Electronic Design 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 Electronics Engineers, Except Computer: Texas median $132,220, $52,840 more a year than all Mechanical Drafters ($79,380), every experience level.

More than 40 hours a week: Electronic Design Engineer 42%, Mechanical Design Drafter 44%.

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

$79,380+$52,840$132,220

Gates on the route: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in Electronic Design 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 -0.4% Texas, 300 openings a year

B +19.5% Texas, 670 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

44%-2 pts42%

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

1.5 / 5+0.01.5 / 5

Hazardous conditions+0.86Hazardous conditions: A 1.15, B 2.01
Hazardous equipment-0.68Hazardous equipment: A 2.21, B 1.53
Cramped space+0.57Cramped space: A 1.13, B 1.7
Very hot or cold-0.47Very hot or cold: A 1.54, B 1.07
Bending or twisting-0.46Bending or twisting: A 1.77, B 1.31

Degree

A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 19% do).

B Most people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher (O*NET: 86%).

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 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: 34%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Mathematics
Operations Analysis
Active Learning
Quality Control Analysis
Coordination
Instructing

To build: 6

Operations Monitoring +1.12
Science +1.12
Troubleshooting +1.12
Systems Analysis +1.00
Speaking +0.76
Complex Problem Solving +0.75

Make this your goal

Save Mechanical Design Drafter to Electronic Design 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.