Compare A Mechanical Design Drafter ↔ B Civil Engineer

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Your route

2 moves

No pay difference shown for this route: solar Engineer: OEWS pay for an 'All Other' group; not specific to this occupation.

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Solar Engineer: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in Solar 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 2, to Civil Engineer: 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 Solar Engineer
- Skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.85 (one of the 3 most similar occupations, r >= 0.6).
- Gates: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in Solar 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 2 Transfer move to the side
Solar Engineer to Civil Engineer
- Skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.87 (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 Civil Engineers: Texas median $96,860, $17,480 more a year than all Mechanical Drafters ($79,380), every experience level.

More than 40 hours a week: Civil Engineer 57%, Mechanical Design Drafter 44%.

This level's pay

A No headline record for this level

B $89,256 a year H-1B filings, n = 65, TX+AZ, 2026

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

$79,380+$17,480$96,860

Gates on the route: Solar Engineer: bachelor's degree (O*NET: most in Solar 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 +13.0% Texas, 2,520 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

44%+14 pts57%

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

1.5 / 5+0.41.9 / 5

Outdoors, all weather+1.49Outdoors, all weather: A 1.32, B 2.81
High places+0.92High places: A 1.27, B 2.19
Very hot or cold+0.70Very hot or cold: A 1.54, B 2.24
Protective gear+0.67Protective gear: A 1.14, B 1.81
Cramped space+0.54Cramped space: A 1.13, B 1.67

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: 100%).

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: 29%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Operations Analysis
Active Learning
Monitoring
Writing
Coordination
Instructing

To build: 6

Science +1.87
Systems Analysis +1.00
Persuasion +0.88
Service Orientation +0.88
Speaking +0.76
Active Listening +0.75

Make this your goal

Save Mechanical Design Drafter to Civil 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.