Electrical and Electronics Drafters
Prepare wiring diagrams, circuit board assembly diagrams, and layout drawings used for the manufacture, installation, or repair of electrical equipment.
What it pays
Electrical and Electronics Drafters earn a median of $36.96/hr — about $77,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $24.06/hr; the top 10% earn $57.83/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Electrical and Electronics Drafters earn a median of $36.96/hr — about $77,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $24.06/hr; the top 10% earn $57.83/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Draft detail and assembly drawings of design components, circuitry or printed circuit boards, using computer-assisted equipment or standard drafting techniques and devices.
- Draft working drawings, wiring diagrams, wiring connection specifications, or cross-sections of underground cables, as required for instructions to installation crew.
- Assemble documentation packages and produce drawing sets to be checked by an engineer or an architect.
- Review completed construction drawings and cost estimates for accuracy and conformity to standards and regulations.
- Consult with engineers to discuss or interpret design concepts, or determine requirements of detailed working drawings.
- Confer with engineering staff and other personnel to resolve problems.
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. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 6.6% of electrical and electronics drafters are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are hands-on, organized and detail-focused and analytical.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians
- Surveyors
- Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians
- Mechanical Drafters
- Architectural and Civil Drafters
Quick questions
- How much does a electrical and electronics drafter make?
- The median pay is $36.96 per hour — roughly $77,000 a year, with the real range running from about $24.06/hr (10th percentile) to $57.83/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a electrical and electronics drafter?
- The typical entry-level education is: Associate degree. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
- What does a electrical and electronics drafter actually do all day?
- Draft detail and assembly drawings of design components, circuitry or printed circuit boards, using computer-assisted equipment or standard drafting techniques and devices. Draft working drawings, wiring diagrams, wiring connection specifications, or cross-sections of underground cables, as required for instructions to installation crew. Assemble documentation packages and produce drawing sets to be checked by an engineer or an architect.
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.
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.