Compare A Mechanical Engineer ↔ B Mechanical Design Drafter
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1 move · -$33,030 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
Gates on this route
- Move 1, to Mechanical Design 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 Mechanical Design Drafter -$33,030 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- Skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.90 (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 Mechanical Drafters: Texas median $79,380, $33,030 less a year than all Mechanical Engineers ($112,410), every experience level.
More than 40 hours a week: Mechanical Design Drafter 44%, 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
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 +18.6% Texas, 1,350 openings a year
B -0.4% Texas, 300 openings a year
Over 40 h a week
Physical load our index from O*NET, 1 to 5; A B; largest differences first
1.8 / 5-0.31.5 / 5
- Cramped space-0.66Cramped space: A 1.79, B 1.13
- Outdoors, all weather-0.64Outdoors, all weather: A 1.96, B 1.32
- Hazardous conditions-0.60Hazardous conditions: A 1.75, B 1.15
- Kneeling or crawling-0.51Kneeling or crawling: A 1.87, B 1.36
- Walking or running-0.50Walking or running: A 2.24, B 1.74
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: 19% 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 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET: 30%).
Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5
You likely have: 6
- Critical Thinking
- Operations Analysis
- Active Learning
- Active Listening
- Complex Problem Solving
- Mathematics
To build: 0
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