Cadd operator education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a cadd operator. Cadd operators usually study drafting and design, architecture, or business. 55% of cadd operators hold a associate degree, and 31% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 824 real cadd operator resumes to see exactly what cadd operator education sections show.

The most common colleges for cadd operators are the University of Houston and the University of Houston.

There are also many online cadd operator courses to help get the education required to be a cadd operator.

What education do you need to become a cadd operator?

What degree do you need to be a cadd operator?

The most common degree for cadd operators is associate degree, with 55% of cadd operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 31% and bachelor's degree degree at 6%.

Associate, 55%

Bachelor's, 31%

Diploma, 6%

High School Diploma, 4%

Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a cadd operator?

You should major in drafting and design to become a cadd operator. 40% of cadd operators major in drafting and design. Other common majors for a cadd operator include architecture and business.

Drafting And Design, 40%

Architecture, 12%

Business, 5%

Architectural Technology, 4%

Other Majors, 39%

Most common colleges for cadd operators

Cadd operators often get their degrees at University of Houston, University of the District of Columbia, and National University. Here are the most common colleges for cadd operators in the US based on their resumes.

Cadd operator common college	Percentages
University of Houston	9.52%
University of the District of Columbia	7.14%
National University	7.14%
University of Florida	4.76%
Brevard College	4.76%

Show more common cadd operator colleges

Best majors for cadd operators

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Drafting And Design	39.7%
2	Architecture	11.7%
3	Business	4.8%
4	Architectural Technology	4.1%
5	Civil Engineering	3.8%

Show more common cadd operator majors

Best colleges for cadd operators

The best colleges for cadd operators are Carnegie Mellon University, Tufts University, and Yale University.

A cadd operator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for cadd operators. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become cadd operators.

1. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

2. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$47,646

Enrollment

2,924

3. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,570

Enrollment

3,721

4. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$42,345

Enrollment

12,886

5. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$11,788

Enrollment

11,008

6. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

In-state tuition

$8,764

Enrollment

9,314

7. Montana State University - Bozeman

Bozeman, MT • Private

In-state tuition

$7,277

Enrollment

14,566

8. University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,633

Enrollment

17,321

9. Kent State University

Kent, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,312

Enrollment

21,793

10. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

20 best online courses for cadd operators

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Top 10 most affordable universities for cadd operators

The most affordable schools for cadd operators are Florida International University, university of puerto rico - rio piedras campus, and florida atlantic university.

If the best universities for cadd operators are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for cadd operators.

1. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

2. University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus

San Juan, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

11,299

3. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

4. Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

Tifton, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$3,503

Cost of attendance

12,843

5. Louisiana Tech University

Ruston, LA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,645

Cost of attendance

20,098

6. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Aguadilla

Aguadilla, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,902

Cost of attendance

13,284

7. University of Colorado Denver

Denver, CO • Private

In-state tuition

$9,283

Cost of attendance

22,243

8. Inter American University of Puerto Rico San German

San German, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

14,322

9. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

10. University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,633

Cost of attendance

19,235

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for cadd operators

The hardest universities for cadd operators to get into are Carnegie Mellon University, Tufts University, and Yale University.

Some great schools for cadd operators are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for cadd operators based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

2. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

3. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,517

4. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

6. Princeton University

Princeton, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,503

7. Tulane University

New Orleans, LA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,428

8. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago, IL • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,318

9. Barnard College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

14%

SAT average

1,422

10. Clemson University

Clemson, SC • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,337

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for cadd operators

The easiest schools for cadd operators to get into are Ferris State University, south dakota state university, and keene state college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a cadd operator without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for cadd operators.

1. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,070

2. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,149

3. Keene State College

Keene, NH • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,053

4. Portland State University

Portland, OR • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,111

5. University of Colorado Denver

Denver, CO • Private

Admissions rate

64%

SAT average

1,132

6. Kent State University

Kent, OH • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,131

7. Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Carbondale, IL • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,124

8. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

Admissions rate

63%

SAT average

1,071

9. Washington State University

Pullman, WA • Private

Admissions rate

77%

SAT average

1,123

10. Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,107

Average cadd operator salary by education level

According to our data, cadd operators with a Bachelor's degree earn the highest average salary, at $50,060 annually. Cadd operators with a Associate degree earn an average annual salary of $48,755.

Cadd operator education level	Cadd operator salary
High School Diploma or Less	$47,860
Bachelor's Degree	$50,060
Some College/ Associate Degree	$48,755

Cadd operator education FAQs

What is the best college for Cadd Operators?

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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