Compare A Mechanical Design Drafter ↔ B Principal Facilities Engineer (Electrical)

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Your route

3 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): bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in Facilities Engineer (Electrical) 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 2, to Senior Facilities Engineer (Electrical): no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).
Move 3, to Principal Facilities Engineer (Electrical): 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
Mechanical Design Drafter to Facilities Engineer (Electrical)
- O*NET lists Electrical Engineers as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.89 (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in Facilities Engineer (Electrical) 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 2 I1 step up on Semiconductor fab facilities (electrical)
Facilities Engineer (Electrical) to Senior Facilities Engineer (Electrical)
- Next rung on 'Semiconductor fab facilities (electrical)' (Skilled to Senior).
- Gates checked: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).
Move 3 I1 step up on Semiconductor fab facilities (electrical)
Senior Facilities Engineer (Electrical) to Principal Facilities Engineer (Electrical)
- Next rung on 'Semiconductor fab facilities (electrical)' (Senior to Senior).
- 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 Electrical Engineers: Texas median $129,450, $50,070 more a year than all Mechanical Drafters ($79,380), every experience level.

More than 40 hours a week: Principal Facilities Engineer (Electrical) 58%, Mechanical Design Drafter 44%.

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

$79,380+$50,070$129,450

Gates on the route: Facilities Engineer (Electrical): bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in Facilities Engineer (Electrical) 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 +14.0% Texas, 1,060 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

44%+14 pts58%

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

1.5 / 5+0.52.0 / 5

Hazardous conditions+1.09Hazardous conditions: A 1.15, B 2.24
Outdoors, all weather+0.89Outdoors, all weather: A 1.32, B 2.21
Cramped space+0.88Cramped space: A 1.13, B 2.01
Very hot or cold+0.85Very hot or cold: A 1.54, B 2.39
High places+0.54High places: A 1.27, B 1.81

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: 89%).

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: 30%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Mathematics
Judgment and Decision Making
Operations Analysis
Instructing
Learning Strategies
Quality Control Analysis

To build: 6

Science +1.12
Writing +1.12
Speaking +0.76
Management of Personnel Resources +0.75
Reading Comprehension +0.75
Active Learning +0.63

Make this your goal

Save Mechanical Design Drafter to Principal Facilities Engineer (Electrical) 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.