Compare A Mechanical Engineer ↔ B Electrical Drafter

Compare with

Your route

2 moves · -$31,790 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Controls Technician: experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET, most common).
Move 2, to Electrical 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
Mechanical Engineer to Controls Technician -$38,360 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.80.
- Gates: experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET, most common).
- Skills to build: Repairing, Equipment Maintenance, Troubleshooting
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Controls Technician to Electrical Drafter +$6,570 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Electrical and Electronics Drafters as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.72 (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).

Side by side

All Electrical and Electronics Drafters: Texas median $80,620, $31,790 less a year than all Mechanical Engineers ($112,410), every experience level.

More than 40 hours a week: Electrical Drafter 36%, Mechanical Engineer 45%.

This level's pay

A $99,206 a year H-1B filings, n = 157, 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

$112,410-$31,790$80,620

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

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +18.6% Texas, 1,350 openings a year

B +0.9% Texas, 220 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

45%-9 pts36%

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

1.8 / 5-0.31.5 / 5

Kneeling or crawling-0.62Kneeling or crawling: A 1.87, B 1.25
High places-0.55High places: A 1.76, B 1.21
Climbing ladders-0.54Climbing ladders: A 1.63, B 1.09
Cramped space-0.53Cramped space: A 1.79, B 1.26
Standing-0.43Standing: A 2.4, B 1.97

Degree

A Most people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher (O*NET: 53%).

B Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 43% 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 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET: 24%).

B Most common related work experience: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (O*NET: 30%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Judgment and Decision Making
Writing
Complex Problem Solving
Reading Comprehension

To build: 0

Make this your goal

Save Mechanical Engineer to Electrical 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.