Drafter education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a drafter. Drafters usually study drafting and design, architecture, or mechanical engineering. 57% of drafters hold a associate degree, and 28% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 10,379 real drafter resumes to see exactly what drafter education sections show.

The most common colleges for drafters are the Austin Community College and the Austin Community College.

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

There are certain drafter certifications that you should consider. These drafter certifications include Drafter Certification and Engineer In Training Certification (EIT).

What education do you need to become a drafter?

What degree do you need to be a drafter?

The most common degree for drafters is associate degree, with 57% of drafters earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 28% and bachelor's degree degree at 6%.

Associate, 57%

Bachelor's, 28%

High School Diploma, 6%

Diploma, 4%

Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a drafter?

You should major in drafting and design to become a drafter. 51% of drafters major in drafting and design. Other common majors for a drafter include architecture and mechanical engineering.

Drafting And Design, 51%

Architecture, 7%

Mechanical Engineering, 6%

Business, 3%

Other Majors, 33%

Most common colleges for drafters

Drafters often get their degrees at Austin Community College, Wentworth Institute of Technology, and University of Phoenix. Here are the most common colleges for drafters in the US based on their resumes.

Drafter common college	Percentages
Austin Community College	7.67%
Wentworth Institute of Technology	6.78%
University of Phoenix	6.78%
University of Illinois at Chicago	6.49%
University of Houston	6.49%

Show more common drafter colleges

Best majors for drafters

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Drafting And Design	51.5%
2	Architecture	7.0%
3	Mechanical Engineering	6.2%
4	Business	3.4%
5	Graphic Design	3.3%

Show more common drafter majors

Best colleges for drafters

The best colleges for drafters are Rochester Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, and Southern Utah University.

A 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 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 drafters.

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. LeTourneau University

Longview, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$30,210

Enrollment

1,771

4. Dunwoody College of Technology

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$22,046

Enrollment

1,294

5. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,570

Enrollment

3,721

20 best online courses for drafters

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Top 10 most affordable universities for drafters

The most affordable schools for drafters are Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, inter american university of puerto rico aguadilla, and southern utah university.

If the best universities for 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 drafters.

1. Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

Tifton, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$3,503

Cost of attendance

12,843

2. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Aguadilla

Aguadilla, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,902

Cost of attendance

13,284

3. Southern Utah University

Cedar City, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$6,770

Cost of attendance

19,636

4. 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

5. Inter American University of Puerto Rico San German

San German, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

14,322

6. University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,633

Cost of attendance

19,235

7. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,570

Cost of attendance

23,713

8. SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Delhi, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,360

Cost of attendance

23,486

9. Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, KY • Private

In-state tuition

$10,032

Cost of attendance

17,711

10. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$11,788

Cost of attendance

22,715

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for drafters

The hardest universities for drafters to get into are Rochester Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, and Southern Utah University.

Some great schools for 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 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. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

66%

SAT average

1,319

2. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

3. Southern Utah University

Cedar City, UT • Private

Admissions rate

79%

SAT average

1,183

4. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

Admissions rate

63%

SAT average

1,071

5. University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

1,120

6. Kent State University

Kent, OH • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,131

7. Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,107

8. SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Delhi, NY • Private

Admissions rate

64%

SAT average

1,011

9. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,070

10. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,149

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

The easiest schools for drafters to get into are SUNY College of Technology at Delhi, suny college of technology at alfred, and kent state university.

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

1. SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Delhi, NY • Private

Admissions rate

64%

SAT average

1,011

2. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

Admissions rate

63%

SAT average

1,071

3. Kent State University

Kent, OH • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,131

4. Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,107

5. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,070

6. Southern Utah University

Cedar City, UT • Private

Admissions rate

79%

SAT average

1,183

7. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,149

8. University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

1,120

9. SUNY College of Agriculture & Technology at Morrisville

Morrisville, NY • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

955

10. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

66%

SAT average

1,319

Average drafter salary by education level

Drafters with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $46,602 annually. With a Associate degree, drafters earn a median annual income of $45,492 compared to $44,728 for drafters with an High School Diploma degree.

Drafter education level	Drafter salary
High School Diploma or Less	$44,728
Bachelor's Degree	$46,602
Some College/ Associate Degree	$45,492

Drafter education FAQs

What is the best college for Drafters?

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

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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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