How much does a architectural and civil drafter make?

The median pay is $31.80 per hour — roughly $66,000 a year, with the real range running from about $22.24/hr (10th percentile) to $47.94/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a architectural and civil drafter?

The typical entry-level education is: Associate degree. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).

What does a architectural and civil drafter actually do all day?

Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices. Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes. Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans.

Engineering & Architecture◆ PROMISING

Architectural and Civil Drafters

Prepare detailed drawings of architectural and structural features of buildings or drawings and topographical relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, and public works. Use knowledge of building materials, engineering practices, and mathematics to complete drawings.

What it pays
Architectural and Civil Drafters earn a median of $31.80/hr — about $66,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $22.24/hr; the top 10% earn $47.94/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)

What you'd actually do

Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.
Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes.
Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans.
Analyze building codes, by-laws, space and site requirements, and other technical documents and reports to determine their effect on architectural designs.
Draw maps, diagrams, and profiles, using cross-sections and surveys, to represent elevations, topographical contours, subsurface formations, and structures.
Lay out and plan interior room arrangements for commercial buildings, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment and software.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: Associate degree. Overall preparation: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).

The feel of the work

Time pressure is a real part of the job; precision matters — small details carry weight. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 0.7% of architectural and civil drafters are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on, organized and detail-focused and creative.

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Quick questions

How much does a architectural and civil drafter make?: The median pay is $31.80 per hour — roughly $66,000 a year, with the real range running from about $22.24/hr (10th percentile) to $47.94/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Do you need a degree to be a architectural and civil drafter?: The typical entry-level education is: Associate degree. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
What does a architectural and civil drafter actually do all day?: Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices. Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes. Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.

Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.