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Electrical and Electronics Drafters
Prepare wiring diagrams, circuit board assembly diagrams, and layout drawings used for the manufacture, installation, or repair of electrical equipment.
Other titles employers use
Computer-Aided Design Operator · Designer · Drafter · Drafting Technician (Drafting Tech) · Electrical Designer · Electrical Drafter · Layout Designer · Printed Circuit Board Designer (PCB Designer)
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical, organizing and analytical work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
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
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Reading Comprehension
- Complex Problem Solving
Subjects to know
- Design
- Engineering and Technology
- Computers and Electronics
- English Language
- Mathematics
Useful strengths
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Comprehension
- Near Vision
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
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 | 3.0 | Largely your own space |
| On your feet | 2.0 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.6 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 2.5 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for an associate degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A four-year degree 40%
- A certificate or some college 28%
- A two-year degree 24%
- High school or less 6%
- A master's degree 2%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Object or component oriented development software
- Operating system software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Analytical or scientific software
- Project management software
- Development environment software
- Data base user interface and query 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
- 3,600
- Job openings each year
- 320
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 12.9%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 3,600 | 320 | 12.9% |
| California | 3,400 | 290 | 6.3% |
| Florida | 1,570 | 140 | 12.1% |
| New York | 1,450 | 0 | 2.8% |
| Arizona | 1,080 | 90 | 9.1% |
| Colorado | 1,000 | 90 | 11.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 810 | 70 | 1.3% |
| North Carolina | 700 | 60 | 9.4% |
| Georgia | 680 | 60 | 7.9% |
| Wisconsin | 680 | 60 | 9.7% |
| Connecticut | 640 | 60 | 23.1% |
| New Jersey | 610 | 50 | −4.7% |
| Washington | 560 | 60 | 12.0% |
| Missouri | 520 | 40 | 2.0% |
| Ohio | 520 | 40 | 2.0% |
| Tennessee | 460 | 40 | 15.0% |
| Illinois | 420 | 30 | 2.4% |
| Oregon | 420 | 40 | 13.5% |
| Utah | 380 | 40 | 31.0% |
| Michigan | 360 | 30 | — |
| South Carolina | 350 | 30 | 9.4% |
| Virginia | 340 | 30 | — |
| Kentucky | 310 | 30 | 3.3% |
| New Mexico | 310 | 30 | 6.9% |
| Oklahoma | 300 | 30 | 3.4% |
| Nevada | 250 | 20 | 4.2% |
| Indiana | 230 | 20 | 21.1% |
| Louisiana | 230 | 20 | 4.5% |
| Minnesota | 230 | 20 | 4.5% |
| Nebraska | 210 | 20 | 5.0% |
| Maryland | 190 | 20 | 5.6% |
| Iowa | 180 | 20 | 5.9% |
| Alabama | 160 | 10 | — |
| Puerto Rico | 160 | 10 | 6.7% |
| Kansas | 150 | 10 | — |
| Mississippi | 140 | 10 | 27.3% |
| New Hampshire | 90 | 10 | 12.5% |
| Idaho | 80 | 10 | 14.3% |
| Montana | 80 | 10 | 14.3% |
| Arkansas | 70 | 0 | — |
| Alaska | 60 | 10 | 20.0% |
| Delaware | 60 | 10 | — |
| District of Columbia | 60 | 10 | — |
| Vermont | 60 | 10 | — |
| Maine | 50 | 0 | — |
| Massachusetts | 50 | 0 | — |
| West Virginia | 50 | 0 | — |
| South Dakota | 40 | 0 | — |
| Rhode Island | 30 | 0 | — |
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.
Texas A & M University-College Station
- Degrees each year
- 240
- Admit rate
- 63%
- Annual cost after aid
- $17,000
Indiana University-Indianapolis
- Degrees each year
- 45
- Admit rate
- 81%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
Purdue University-Main Campus
- Degrees each year
- 59
- Admit rate
- 50%
- Annual cost after aid
- $9,000
CUNY New York City College of Technology
- Degrees each year
- 51
- Admit rate
- 81%
- Annual cost after aid
- $8,000
University of Central Missouri
- Degrees each year
- 23
- Admit rate
- 69%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Western Michigan University
- Degrees each year
- 21
- Admit rate
- 85%
- Annual cost after aid
- $14,000
Sam Houston State University
- Degrees each year
- 20
- Admit rate
- 85%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
Murray State University
- Degrees each year
- 28
- Admit rate
- 86%
- Annual cost after aid
- $8,000
Compare every college offering drafting/design engineering technologies/technicians