Draftsman education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a draftsman. Draftsmen usually study drafting and design, architecture, or mechanical engineering. 47% of draftsmen hold a associate degree, and 34% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 12,219 real draftsman resumes to see exactly what draftsman education sections show.

The most common colleges for draftsmen are the Pennsylvania State University and the Pennsylvania State University.

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

What education do you need to become a draftsman?

What degree do you need to be a draftsman?

The most common degree for draftsmen is associate degree, with 47% of draftsmen earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 34% and bachelor's degree degree at 9%.

Associate, 47%

Bachelor's, 34%

High School Diploma, 9%

Diploma, 5%

Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a draftsman?

You should major in drafting and design to become a draftsman. 41% of draftsmen major in drafting and design. Other common majors for a draftsman include architecture and mechanical engineering.

Drafting And Design, 41%

Architecture, 11%

Mechanical Engineering, 7%

Civil Engineering, 4%

Other Majors, 37%

Most common colleges for draftsmen

Draftsmen often get their degrees at Pennsylvania State University, New York Institute of Technology, and Purdue University. Here are the most common colleges for draftsmen in the US based on their resumes.

Draftsman common college	Percentages
Pennsylvania State University	7.73%
New York Institute of Technology	7.48%
Purdue University	6.23%
Southern Illinois University Carbondale	5.99%
University of Houston	5.99%

Show more common draftsman colleges

Best majors for draftsmen

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Drafting And Design	40.8%
2	Architecture	11.1%
3	Mechanical Engineering	6.8%
4	Civil Engineering	4.1%
5	Business	4.0%

Show more common draftsman majors

Best colleges for draftsmen

The best colleges for draftsmen are Carnegie Mellon University, Northeastern University, and Northwestern University.

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

1. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,570

Enrollment

3,721

2. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$42,345

Enrollment

12,886

3. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

4. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$11,788

Enrollment

11,008

5. Montana State University - Bozeman

Bozeman, MT • Private

In-state tuition

$7,277

Enrollment

14,566

6. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

7. Kent State University

Kent, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,312

Enrollment

21,793

8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

9. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

10. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Enrollment

24,841

20 best online courses for draftsmen

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Top 10 most affordable universities for draftsmen

The most affordable schools for draftsmen are SUNY Farmingdale, california state polytechnic university, pomona, and new york city college of technology of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for draftsmen 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 draftsmen.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

3. 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

4. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

5. University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus

San Juan, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

11,299

6. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

7. Brigham Young University - Idaho

Rexburg, ID • Private

In-state tuition

$4,118

Cost of attendance

12,223

8. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

9. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

10. Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

Tifton, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$3,503

Cost of attendance

12,843

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for draftsmen

The hardest universities for draftsmen to get into are Carnegie Mellon University, Northeastern University, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for draftsmen 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 draftsmen 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. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

2. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

4. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

5. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,517

6. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

66%

SAT average

1,319

7. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

8. Princeton University

Princeton, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,503

9. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

10. Tulane University

New Orleans, LA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,428

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

The easiest schools for draftsmen to get into are Ferris State University, oregon institute of technology, and south dakota state university.

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

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. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,149

4. Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, MI • Private

Admissions rate

76%

SAT average

1,025

5. Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis

Indianapolis, IN • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,111

6. Pennsylvania State University - DuBois

DuBois, PA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,079

7. The University of Texas at Arlington

Arlington, TX • Private

Admissions rate

80%

SAT average

1,157

8. Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,080

9. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

10. McPherson College

McPherson, KS • Private

Admissions rate

77%

SAT average

1,084

Average draftsman salary by education level

Draftsmen with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $45,677 annually. With a Associate degree, draftsmen earn a median annual income of $44,156 compared to $42,869 for draftsmen with an High School Diploma degree.

Draftsman education level	Draftsman salary
High School Diploma or Less	$42,869
Bachelor's Degree	$45,677
Some College/ Associate Degree	$44,156

Draftsman education FAQs

What is the best college for Draftsmen?

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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