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

What is a drafter and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A drafter is an individual who uses computer-aided design (CAD) software to create technical drawings and plans for construction and engineering projects. They work in a variety of industries, including architecture, manufacturing, and telecommunications. Drafters use their knowledge of mathematics, engineering principles, and design techniques to transform rough sketches and specifications into detailed blueprints. They collaborate with engineers, architects, and other professionals to ensure accuracy and completeness of their drawings.

ScoreDrafterUS Average

Salary

3.4

Avg. Salary $43,542

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 25.32%

male 74.68%

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

6.3

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a drafter?

Pros

High demand for drafters in various industries
Opportunities for professional growth and advancement
Job stability and security
Ability to work on a wide range of projects
Opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology and software

Cons

Long hours often required to meet project deadlines
Need to constantly update skills and knowledge as technology changes rapidly
Can be stressful when deadlines are tight or projects are complex
Possibility of working on projects that do not align with personal interests or values
Limited upward mobility in some organizations

Key steps to become a drafter

Explore drafter education requirements

Most common drafter degrees

Associate

57.2 %

Bachelor's

28.0 %

High School Diploma

6.1 %

Start to develop specific drafter skills

Skills	Percentages
Layout Drawings	7.92%
Aided Design	6.97%
Revit	6.95%
Auto CAD	5.84%
Engineering Drawings	4.30%

Complete relevant drafter training and internships

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

Research drafter duties and responsibilities

Manage and supervise other draftsmen.
Draft 2D and 3D mechanical, electrical and plumbing designs in Revit and AutoCAD base on MEP's drafting standards.
Position include adding a new finish edge sketch to existing product and DXF new drawing out to AutoCAD for CNC machining.
Create SolidWorks 3D drawings of customer files.

Prepare your drafter resume

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

Build a professional 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 drafter resume.

Apply for drafter jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a drafter job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first drafter job

Shaheed Muhammad

Drafter

I knew before I graduated from college with my bachelors degree in art, that I wanted a career that I enjoyed that paid well but also had the work life balance needed for me to pursue my passion on the side. I initially tried working in sales but it wasn’t for me, I later decided to become a drafter once I realized that the number of skills I possess in design tie in to the field. Another motivating factor that made me want to get into the field was that I got tired of working at retail stores doing things that I didn’t enjoy doing while making just enough money to survive. Especially after doing my research in the field, I chose to go back to school and major in the field, and it turns out that I was the most advanced drafting student because my skills in graphic and digital design tied in very closely with CAD, so I was already ahead of everyone else in the major.

I eventually ended up getting a job in the drafting field where I worked for a little over 2 months. While at the job, I learned a great deal about CAD and what goes into working as a professional draftsman. After a number of rookie mistakes when I was there and not getting caught up to speed fast enough with the company standards of my work, I was eventually fired. After going through that experience, it truly lit a fire under me to get another job in the field and this time excel this time, especially learning what I had learned from being at that job. I currently am back working at a retail store, but have been applying for other drafting jobs.

How do drafters rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Drafter reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2019

Pros

comfortable environment

Cons

stressful work. negative response is related in anyway to the job you'll be doing. So if the job is boring and a lot of repetitive tasks are involved and you say you don't like to do something daily they might weed you out. My answer would be, I really can't think of something I dislike doing every single day. Just because they ask the question doesn't mean you have to have a negative answer!