Design drafter education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a design drafter. Design drafters usually study drafting and design, mechanical engineering, or architecture. 56% of design drafters hold a associate degree, and 30% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 9,274 real design drafter resumes to see exactly what design drafter education sections show.

The most common colleges for design drafters are the University of Houston and the University of Houston.

There are also many online design drafter courses to help get the education required to be a design drafter.

There are certain design drafter certifications that you should consider. These design drafter certifications include Certified Interior Designer (NCIDQ) and Mechanical Certified Drafter (CD).

What education do you need to become a design drafter?

What degree do you need to be a design drafter?

The most common degree for design drafters is associate degree, with 56% of design drafters earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 30% and bachelor's degree degree at 4%.

Associate, 56%

Bachelor's, 30%

High School Diploma, 4%

Diploma, 4%

Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a design drafter?

You should major in drafting and design to become a design drafter. 47% of design drafters major in drafting and design. Other common majors for a design drafter include mechanical engineering and architecture.

Drafting And Design, 47%

Mechanical Engineering, 8%

Architecture, 7%

Mechanical Engineering Technology, 4%

Other Majors, 34%

Most common colleges for design drafters

Design drafters often get their degrees at University of Houston, Pennsylvania State University, and Central State University. Here are the most common colleges for design drafters in the US based on their resumes.

Design drafter common college	Percentages
University of Houston	10.68%
Pennsylvania State University	8.01%
Central State University	6.23%
Austin Community College	5.93%
University of Phoenix	5.93%

Show more common design drafter colleges

Best majors for design drafters

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Drafting And Design	47.4%
2	Mechanical Engineering	8.2%
3	Architecture	7.5%
4	Mechanical Engineering Technology	3.6%
5	Graphic Design	3.6%

Show more common design drafter majors

Best colleges for design drafters

The best colleges for design drafters are Northwestern University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and University of Pittsburgh.

A design drafter with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for design drafters. 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 design drafters.

1. LeTourneau University

Longview, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$30,210

Enrollment

1,771

2. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,570

Enrollment

3,721

3. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$42,345

Enrollment

12,886

4. Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$12,960

Enrollment

16,157

5. SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Delhi, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,360

Enrollment

3,142

6. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$11,788

Enrollment

11,008

7. New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,120

Enrollment

16,204

8. Northern Michigan University

Marquette, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,729

Enrollment

6,722

9. Siena Heights University

Adrian, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$27,124

Enrollment

2,035

10. Montana State University - Bozeman

Bozeman, MT • Private

In-state tuition

$7,277

Enrollment

14,566

20 best online courses for design drafters

Advertising disclosure

1. Construction Site Electrical System Design

4.6

(454)

Learn how to design a safe, flexible and durable electrical system for any construction site...

2. Learning Autodesk Revit Architecture 2016

4.5

(1,095)

Building Information Modeling for Architectural Design...

3. HVAC (PART2) with Revit MEP & Practical Projects

4.1

(398)

your Practical Guide in the Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning with Programs & Layouts (A Complete Project Included)...

4. Revit Architecture for Beginners

4.2

(359)

Revit Tutorial. Learn By Designing Real Buildings. Boost Your Portfolio. Practical Hands-on Revit Training Course...

5. Revit MEP Beginners to Advanced (Contractor Services)

4.5

(774)

The course is suitable for Revit 2017 and later versions up to Revit 2023...

6. Revit Architecture 2021 Course - Practical Approach

4.2

(946)

Learn by building real world projects in Revit. We will build two house modals through out the course...

7. Revit 2023: Professional Revit Course

4.2

(291)

Revit : Mastering the Revit from Beginning to Pro...

8. Autodesk Revit - beginner to an intermediate level

4.5

(8,963)

Includes 1 main project, 15 quizzes & a Final Exam. For users of Revit 2018 and above...

9. GD & T + ISO GPS Full Learning Bootcamp - From Rookies To Star

(319)

54 training modules on GD & T based on ASME Y14.5-2018 and ISO GPS...

10. Electrical Low Voltage System Distribution Design

4.6

(421)

Design of Power & Lighting Distribution System using Auto CAD, DIALux, & Low Voltage Calculations Using Excel Sheets...

11. Learning Autodesk Revit Structure 2016

4.4

(405)

Building Information Modelling Design and Analysis for Structural Engineering...

12. Revit Structure Beginners to Advanced (Contractor Services)

4.5

(350)

The course is suitable for Revit 2020 and later versions up to Revit 2023...

13. Learning Autodesk Revit MEP 2016

4.5

(1,101)

Building Information Modeling for Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Engineers...

14. Software Architecture & System Design Practical Case Studies

4.7

(250)

Design Real-life Large Scale Systems, Practice Modern Software Architecture & Prepare for a System Design Interview...

15. Revit Architecture - An Ultimate Guide

4.4

(1,053)

Learn the concepts, tools and workflows to allow you work confidently inside Autodesk Revit, a BIM design platform...

16. Become an HVAC PRO_The Ultimate HVAC Guide

4.6

(347)

HVAC Designer Course from Scratch to Advance Level for Career Changer, Career Accelerator or Knowledge Refresher...

17. Pro Engineer Creo Fundamental 3D design course

4.3

(1,044)

Learn fundamentals of creo parametric from scratch including part design,drawing,assembly...

18. Complete Course in AutoCAD: Architectural Working Drawings

4.3

(402)

Impress your Boss by making Professional & good-looking Architectural Working Drawings...

19. Solid Principles (2023) for Software Design & Architecture

4.5

(338)

Master SOLID Principles of software design and software Architecture and write clean code in C# object oriented design...

20. Revit Architecture 2020 From Zero to Hero

4.5

(1,735)

Covering essentials, intermediate, and advanced features of Revit Architecture 2020-2021-2022-2023...

Top 10 most affordable universities for design drafters

The most affordable schools for design drafters are SUNY Farmingdale, new york city college of technology of the city university of new york, and brigham young university - idaho.

If the best universities for design drafters 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 design drafters.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,120

Cost of attendance

13,997

3. Brigham Young University - Idaho

Rexburg, ID • Private

In-state tuition

$4,118

Cost of attendance

12,223

4. Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

Tifton, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$3,503

Cost of attendance

12,843

5. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

6. New Mexico State University

Las Cruces, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$6,686

Cost of attendance

17,885

7. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

8. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Aguadilla

Aguadilla, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,902

Cost of attendance

13,284

9. Tarleton State University

Stephenville, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$7,292

Cost of attendance

20,387

10. Inter American University of Puerto Rico San German

San German, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

14,322

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for design drafters

The hardest universities for design drafters to get into are Northwestern University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and University of Pittsburgh.

Some great schools for design drafters 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 design drafters 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

2. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

66%

SAT average

1,319

3. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

59%

SAT average

1,367

4. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,309

5. LeTourneau University

Longview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

46%

SAT average

1,205

6. Milwaukee School of Engineering

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

63%

SAT average

1,295

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

9. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

Admissions rate

65%

SAT average

1,176

10. University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown

Johnstown, PA • Private

Admissions rate

65%

SAT average

1,120

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for design drafters

The easiest schools for design drafters to get into are Ferris State University, oregon institute of technology, and eastern michigan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a design drafter 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 design drafters.

1. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,070

2. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

3. Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, MI • Private

Admissions rate

76%

SAT average

1,025

4. Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis

Indianapolis, IN • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,111

5. McPherson College

McPherson, KS • Private

Admissions rate

77%

SAT average

1,084

6. Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,080

7. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

8. SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Delhi, NY • Private

Admissions rate

64%

SAT average

1,011

9. University of Toledo

Toledo, OH • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

1,145

10. SUNY College of Agriculture & Technology at Morrisville

Morrisville, NY • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

955

Average design drafter salary by education level

According to our data, design drafters with a Bachelor's degree earn the highest average salary, at $52,891 annually. Design drafters with a Associate degree earn an average annual salary of $51,316.

Design drafter education level	Design drafter salary
High School Diploma or Less	$49,980
Bachelor's Degree	$52,891
Some College/ Associate Degree	$51,316

Design drafter education FAQs

What is the best college for Design Drafters?

Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.

Search for design drafter jobs

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

Browse architecture and engineering jobs