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Job outlook for draftsman/designers in the United States
Draftsman/designer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected draftsman/designer job growth rate is -3% from 2018-2028.
About -6,700 new jobs for draftsman/designers are projected over the next decade.
Draftsman/designer salaries have increased 11% for draftsman/designers in the last 5 years.
There are over 45,940 draftsman/designers currently employed in the United States.
There are 47,341 active draftsman/designer job openings in the US.
The average draftsman/designer salary is $52,529.
Are draftsman/designer jobs in demand?
Draftsman/designer job and salary trends over time
Draftsman/designer jobs over time
Draftsman/designer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 45,940 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 47,965 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 50,110 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 50,506 | 0.02% |
| 2017 | 51,478 | 0.02% |
Average draftsman/designer salary over time
Draftsman/designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $52,529 | $25.25 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $51,469 | $24.74 | +2.6% |
| 2023 | $50,172 | $24.12 | +3.9% |
| 2022 | $48,299 | $23.22 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | $47,175 | $22.68 | +1.8% |
Draftsman/designer jobs by state
Most common states for draftsman/designers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 189 | 27% |
| 2 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 719 | 10% |
| 3 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 409 | 10% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 610 | 9% |
| 5 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 771 | 7% |
| 6 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 632 | 7% |
| 7 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 384 | 7% |
| 8 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 204 | 7% |
| 9 | California | 39,536,653 | 2,551 | 6% |
| 10 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,129 | 6% |
| 11 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 340 | 6% |
| 12 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 331 | 6% |
| 13 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 327 | 6% |
| 14 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 85 | 6% |
| 15 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 61 | 6% |
| 16 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 662 | 5% |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 596 | 5% |
| 18 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 495 | 5% |
| 19 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 132 | 5% |
| 20 | Delaware | 961,939 | 45 | 5% |
Most common cities for draftsman/designers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eau Claire | 1 | 1% | $46,101 |
| 2 | Irvine | 1 | 0% | $60,187 |
| 3 | San Diego | 1 | 0% | $59,309 |
Draftsman/Designer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of draftsman/designer experts
Syracuse University
ADDA
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Draftsman/Designers?
Kristen DeWolf: The class of 2021 will be in a highly competitive hiring situation. Not only will they have their peers to compete against for jobs, but also those who were laid-off or furloughed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. It will be imperative for the graduates to prove they are the 'right' candidate. At the same time, this class has had to jump into flexibility mode to be successful as classes, club meetings, and even internships went virtual. They have already proven they are quick to adapt to the changing nature of work.
What's a good job out of college for Draftsman/Designers?
Kristen DeWolf: We are encouraging students to keep their options open. Any position that will add soft and/or hard skills to your resume is a great job to consider after college. Showing the value they provide will only help them as they continue to build their careers.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Draftsman/Designer job market given the pandemic?
Dan Rodenbaugh: Random thoughts regarding the future workforce in engineering related occupations:
This pandemic has shown that certain occupations lend themselves to telecommuting (working from home). I would think that many aspects of CAD/Engineering Tech work could be done from home - assuming the technology available to the teleworker lends itself to that: high-speed internet, computer equipment at home capable of running those software programs, etc.
One drawback re: working from home would be IT security. I would think that engineering firms would be concerned about theft of intellectual property, industrial espionage, etc. When someone is working from home, their IT security would not be comparable to working in an office.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Draftsman/Designers in the next 3-5 years?
Dan Rodenbaugh: Personal computers and internet, better off-site interaction.