How To Become A Cadd Drafter: What It Is and Career Path

What is a cadd drafter and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

CAD drafters use computer-aided design to sketch products or architectural models. They may work for various areas from civil engineering to mechanics, or electronics, drawing detailed schematics and plans for product manufacturing processes or constructions to follow. These plans include every detail necessary to carry out the buildings or products to completion, from dimensions to materials, production methods, and many more.

Working as a CAD drafter, you will have to be familiar with the technologies and software necessary to do your work. You will work under the supervision of an architect or production designer, collecting data and information on the designed product. Your job is to help them visualize their ideas, whether roads, bridges, buildings, machines, aircraft, pipelines, or other structures.

An associate's degree in a technical or design area is generally necessary to pursue this career. A bachelor's degree will boost your chances to beat the competition, and there are various certification programs that can speed up your advancement in this career path. Being imaginative, tech-savvy, attentive, and patient will take you a long way, allowing you to have an exciting and creative job that earns you $48,730 a year on average.

ScoreCadd DrafterUS Average

Salary

3.8

Avg. Salary $49,161

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 25.45%

male 74.55%

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 a cadd drafter

Explore cadd drafter education requirements

Most common cadd drafter degrees

Associate

55.6 %

Bachelor's

29.6 %

Diploma

7.0 %

Start to develop specific cadd drafter skills

Skills	Percentages
Civil 3D	30.67%
Civil Design	13.83%
Shop Drawings	13.82%
Design Drawings	8.32%
Aided Design	7.77%

Complete relevant cadd drafter training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 4-10 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New cadd 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 a cadd drafter based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real cadd drafter resumes.

Research cadd drafter duties and responsibilities

Manage the design history of 3D part models, assemblies, and drawings using PDM software.
Draft blue print utility plats to electronic records using Intergraph
Utilize MicroStation V8i for drafting/ mapping coaxial and fiber optic cable.
Coordinate with electrical, architectural, plumbing and HVAC departments to ensure precise dimensions and material fit.

Prepare your cadd drafter resume

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

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a cadd drafter resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable cadd drafter resume templates

Build a professional cadd drafter resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your cadd drafter resume.