How To Become A Detailer/Designer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a detailer/designer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Detailers/designers plan and design concepts or models based on their client's specifications. They often work alongside engineers, construction site managers, and project managers to bring a client's vision to life, be it houses, buildings, or machinery.

The duties of a detailer/designer depend on the type of industry they are working in, but in general, they are responsible for creating design drafts on CAD software, analyzing specifications and drawings, communicating with clients and project managers, and ensuring adherence to client budgets and requirements. They are also typically responsible for acquiring client approval and making any revisions when necessary.

The role of a detailer/designer requires a deep understanding of design, math, construction, and CAD programs. When it comes to education, on the other hand, detailers/designers come from a variety of majors, including engineering, business, and technical design.

Detailers/designers typically work in offices and spend most of their time on the computer. They may also travel for business, usually for visiting job sites and meeting with clients. On average, they earn $52,000 per year, depending on their level of industry experience and expertise.

ScoreDetailer/DesignerUS Average

Salary

5.1

Avg. Salary $64,845

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.3

Growth rate -3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.16%

Asian 5.73%

Black or African American 3.03%

Hispanic or Latino 13.06%

Unknown 4.14%

White 73.89%

Gender

female 12.66%

male 87.34%

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

5.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.2

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.7

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a detailer/designer

Explore detailer/designer education requirements

Most common detailer/designer degrees

Associate

54.4 %

Bachelor's

29.9 %

Diploma

4.8 %

Start to develop specific detailer/designer skills

Skills	Percentages
Revit	14.70%
Shop Drawings	11.66%
BIM	6.52%
Plumbing	6.46%
HVAC	5.47%

Complete relevant detailer/designer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New detailer/designers 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 detailer/designer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real detailer/designer resumes.

Research detailer/designer duties and responsibilities

Develop custom macros for SolidWorks to automate many redundant processes.
Design curve, surface, solid model with UG NX.
Require to follow standards set by entities such as ANSI, AWS, and ASTM.
Prepare BOM's for purchasing.

Prepare your detailer/designer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your detailer/designer 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 detailer/designer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable detailer/designer resume templates

Build a professional detailer/designer 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 detailer/designer resume.