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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.
Other titles employers use
Architectural Designer · Architectural Drafter · Architectural Draftsman · Civil Drafter · Computer-Aided Design Designer (CAD Designer) · Computer-Aided Drafting and Design Drafter (CADD Drafter) · Computer-Aided Drafting Designer (CAD Designer) · Drafting Technician
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical, organizing and creative work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Creative
- Making, designing, writing, or performing without one set answer
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Complex Problem Solving
- Systems Analysis
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
Subjects to know
- Design
- Building and Construction
- Engineering and Technology
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Visualization
- Near Vision
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 2.9 | Largely your own space |
| On your feet | 2.1 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.9 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 3.3 | Some of the day |
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Development environment software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Geographic information system
- Document management software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Project management software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 16,080
- Job openings each year
- 1,580
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 12.8%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 16,080 | 1,580 | 12.8% |
| California | 14,800 | 1,450 | 10.4% |
| Florida | 8,950 | 890 | 15.0% |
| New York | 8,260 | 40 | 5.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 5,630 | 520 | — |
| Georgia | 3,550 | 340 | 9.9% |
| Colorado | 3,200 | 320 | 15.5% |
| Illinois | 3,170 | 290 | — |
| Arizona | 3,080 | 300 | 11.2% |
| Washington | 2,850 | 320 | 14.5% |
| Ohio | 2,780 | 260 | −1.1% |
| Utah | 2,770 | 290 | 31.9% |
| North Carolina | 2,670 | 260 | 10.3% |
| New Jersey | 2,660 | 240 | — |
| Wisconsin | 2,620 | 260 | 15.9% |
| Missouri | 2,200 | 210 | 3.3% |
| Minnesota | 2,150 | 200 | 3.9% |
| Michigan | 1,840 | 170 | −1.1% |
| Virginia | 1,810 | 170 | −2.7% |
| Indiana | 1,710 | 160 | 4.3% |
| Tennessee | 1,580 | 150 | 4.6% |
| Oklahoma | 1,560 | 150 | 1.3% |
| South Carolina | 1,530 | 150 | 5.5% |
| Iowa | 1,430 | 140 | 5.9% |
| Idaho | 1,370 | 140 | 14.2% |
| Oregon | 1,360 | 130 | 13.3% |
| Nevada | 1,280 | 120 | 7.6% |
| Connecticut | 1,220 | 130 | 23.2% |
| Alabama | 1,050 | 100 | 1.0% |
| Arkansas | 1,040 | 100 | 6.1% |
| Massachusetts | 1,000 | 90 | — |
| Maryland | 930 | 90 | 4.5% |
| Nebraska | 830 | 80 | 3.8% |
| Louisiana | 820 | 80 | 1.2% |
| Montana | 750 | 70 | 11.9% |
| District of Columbia | 670 | 60 | — |
| Kentucky | 640 | 60 | 1.6% |
| New Hampshire | 630 | 60 | 8.6% |
| Puerto Rico | 610 | 60 | 7.0% |
| Mississippi | 450 | 40 | 2.3% |
| South Dakota | 440 | 40 | 10.0% |
| Maine | 430 | 40 | −2.3% |
| New Mexico | 410 | 40 | 7.9% |
| Kansas | 400 | 40 | — |
| Delaware | 350 | 30 | −2.8% |
| North Dakota | 350 | 40 | 12.9% |
| West Virginia | 310 | 30 | — |
| Wyoming | 200 | 20 | 5.3% |
| Rhode Island | 180 | 20 | — |
| Alaska | 170 | 20 | 13.3% |
| Vermont | 130 | 10 | 8.3% |
| Guam | 100 | 10 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Syracuse University
- Degrees each year
- 145
- Admit rate
- 42%
- Annual cost after aid
- $21,000
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Degrees each year
- 137
- Admit rate
- 57%
- Annual cost after aid
- $18,000
Pratt Institute-Main
- Degrees each year
- 129
- Admit rate
- 53%
- Annual cost after aid
- $49,000
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
- Degrees each year
- 126
- Admit rate
- 30%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
- Degrees each year
- 118
- Admit rate
- 58%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Wentworth Institute of Technology
- Degrees each year
- 108
- Admit rate
- 85%
- Annual cost after aid
- $32,000
New York Institute of Technology
- Degrees each year
- 100
- Admit rate
- 78%
- Annual cost after aid
- $23,000
Illinois Institute of Technology
- Degrees each year
- 89
- Admit rate
- 55%
- Annual cost after aid
- $17,000
Compare every college offering drafting/design engineering technologies/technicians