Compare A Mechanical Design Drafter ↔ B Civil Engineering Technician
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1 move · -$19,990 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
Gates on this route
- Move 1, to Civil Engineering Technician: 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 Civil Engineering Technician -$19,990 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.79 (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 Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians: Texas median $59,390, $19,990 less a year than all Mechanical Drafters ($79,380), every experience level.
Mechanical Design Drafter: 44% work more than 40 hours a week, about 2.9 times the share for Civil Engineering Technician (15%).
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 -0.4% Texas, 300 openings a year
B +10.0% Texas, 560 openings a year
Over 40 h a week
Physical load our index from O*NET, 1 to 5; A B; largest differences first
1.5 / 5+0.62.1 / 5
- Outdoors, all weather+2.20Outdoors, all weather: A 1.32, B 3.52
- Very hot or cold+1.10Very hot or cold: A 1.54, B 2.64
- Hazardous equipment+0.71Hazardous equipment: A 2.21, B 2.92
- Cramped space+0.65Cramped space: A 1.13, B 1.78
- Hazardous conditions+0.63Hazardous conditions: A 1.15, B 1.78
Degree
A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 19% do).
B Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 18% do).
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 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 8 years, up to and including 10 years (O*NET: 31%).
Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5
You likely have: 5
- Monitoring
- Writing
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Coordination
To build: 3
- Active Listening +0.50
- Critical Thinking +0.50
- Reading Comprehension +0.50
Make this your goal
Save Mechanical Design Drafter to Civil Engineering Technician 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 3 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.
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