Architectural and Civil Drafters

Overview

Architectural and Civil Drafters has a national median salary of $66,150 per year, with +5.2% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists an associate's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

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.

Work Values

• Support
• Working Conditions
• Achievement

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.
• Analyze building codes, by-laws, space and site requirements, and other technical documents and reports to determine their effect on architectural designs.
• Draw rough and detailed scale plans for foundations, buildings, and structures, based on preliminary concepts, sketches, engineering calculations, specification sheets, and other data.
• Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans.
• Explain drawings to production or construction teams and provide adjustments as necessary.

Work Activities

• Working with Computers
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
• Communicating with People Outside the Organization
• Getting Information
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Thinking Creatively
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
• Processing Information

Detailed Work Activities

• Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists an associate's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished a bachelor's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Bachelor's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for an associate's degree.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Architectural and Civil Drafters:

Video Resources