How To Become An Architectural Drafter: What It Is and Career Path

What is an architectural drafter and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Architectural drafters create technical drawings like designs of architects and engineers for commercial, residential, and industrial construction projects. Your responsibilities include gathering all requirements needed to complete accurate drawings, preparing architectural drawings, updating designs and checking the accuracy, coordinating the work of drafting teams and technicians. Also, you are expected to prepare accurate and detailed drawings from rough sketches and estimations, provide drawings and specifications to contractors, and consult technical handbooks and tables. Not just this, but you will also need to accompany architects and engineers on on-site visits and also for research purposes to ensure construction workers work according to the plan. Then, you will need to compile technical reports.

You need to have a bachelor's of science degree in architecture for this job. You should also have exceptional drafting skills, computer and presentation skills. Plus, you must be able to work closely with architects and engineers and communicate effectively. Your average annual salary as an architectural drafter is $48,115.

ScoreArchitectural DrafterUS Average

Salary

3.9

Avg. Salary $49,944

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.3

Growth rate -3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.70%

Asian 7.02%

Black or African American 3.09%

Hispanic or Latino 11.66%

Unknown 5.20%

White 72.33%

Gender

female 32.02%

male 67.98%

Age - 45

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45

Stress level

4.3

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.9

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an architectural drafter

Explore architectural drafter education requirements

Most common architectural drafter degrees

Associate

45.1 %

Bachelor's

41.1 %

Master's

5.2 %

Start to develop specific architectural drafter skills

Skills	Percentages
Revit	28.35%
Construction Drawings	11.12%
Architectural Drawings	7.48%
Shop Drawings	5.60%
Sketch	5.59%

Complete relevant architectural drafter training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 4-10 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New architectural drafters learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an architectural drafter based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real architectural drafter resumes.

Research architectural drafter duties and responsibilities

Lead the development of BIM modeling content for the architecture team as a direct report to the executive and lead architects.
Prepare plumbing schematics and as-built.
Utilize AutoCAD 2005 and MicroStation V8.
Operate Microstation SE and Microstation V8.

Prepare your architectural drafter resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your architectural drafter resume.

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