Architecture and Engineering · Holland code RCA
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.
Also called: Architectural Designer, Architectural Drafter, CAD Tech (Computer-Aided Design Technician), Draftsman, Architectural Draftsman, CAD Designer (Computer-Aided Design Designer), CADD Drafter (Computer-Aided Drafting and Design Drafter), Civil Drafter.
O*NET 17-3011.00
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $66,150
- Middle half earn $55,650 to $80,870. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 3 of 5
- Medium preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- 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.
- Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes.
- Obtain and assemble data to complete architectural designs, visiting job sites to compile measurements as necessary.
- Lay out and plan interior room arrangements for commercial buildings, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment and software.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Reading Comprehension3.8 / 5
- Critical Thinking3.6 / 5
- Active Listening3.5 / 5
- Writing3.3 / 5
- Speaking3.3 / 5
- Monitoring3.3 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Design4.9 / 5
- Building and Construction4.2 / 5
- Engineering and Technology4.2 / 5
- Computers and Electronics3.7 / 5
- English Language3.6 / 5
- Mathematics3.4 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic76
- Investigative54
- Artistic58
- Social9
- Enterprising9
- Conventional65
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- drafter · DE Technischer Zeichner/Technische Zeichnerin · FR dessinateur/dessinatrice
- marine engineering drafter · DE Zeichner Seefahrzeuge/Zeichnerin Seefahrzeuge · FR dessinateur en génie maritime/dessinatrice en génie maritime
- mechanical engineering drafter · DE Maschinenbauzeichner/Maschinenbauzeichnerin · FR dessinateur en génie mécanique/dessinatrice en génie mécanique
- rolling stock engineering drafter · DE Zeichner Schienenfahrzeuge/Zeichnerin Schienenfahrzeuge · FR dessinateur technique matériel roulant/dessinatrice technique matériel roulant
- architectural drafter · DE Bauzeichner Architektur/Bauzeichnerin Architektur · FR dessinateur en architecture/dessinatrice en architecture
- automotive engineering drafter · DE Zeichner Kraftfahrzeugbau/Zeichnerin Kraftfahrzeugbau · FR dessinateur en ingénierie automobile/dessinatrice en ingénierie automobile
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- CAD, drawing and architectural technicians (3120)54,900 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Technicians and associate professionals”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €50,992 |
| Austria | €46,986 |
| Germany | €44,473 |
| Netherlands | €42,448 |
| Ireland | €41,613 |
| Sweden | €41,155 |
| Italy | €34,882 |
| France | €34,816 |
| Spain | €29,757 |
| Portugal | €18,080 |
| Poland | €12,108 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
Exposure to AI
This occupation sits in the higher third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of +0.92. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.
Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.
Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (17-3011).
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