1. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
A senior Computer-Aided Design (CAD) designer supervises a team of CAD designers in the creation of designs using specialized computer software. They create designs for a wide variety of products that are used in everyday life. They create either two-dimensional or three-dimensional designs that can be used by structural engineers, architects, and civil engineers. Their role is very crucial in any construction process because they provide a clear architectural image of the projects.
Senior CAD designers work closely with architects and design engineers in order to understand the project objectives. They mostly work in the engineering, construction, and manufacturing industries. Senior CAD designers should be creative and innovative and have essential skills such as leadership, technical, communication, and attention to detail.
A senior CAD designer works in an office setting. He/she works full time 40 hours a week from Monday to Friday. From time to time, they conduct off-site meetings with engineers and architects and may work longer hours.
There are certain skills that many senior computer aided design designers have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed leadership skills, speaking skills and writing skills.
If you're interested in becoming a senior computer aided design designer, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 36.8% of senior computer aided design designers have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 0.0% of senior computer aided design designers have master's degrees. Even though some senior computer aided design designers have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
What Am I Worth?
There are several types of senior computer aided design designer, including:
Have you ever seen a mock-up of a property for rent or for lease during their pre-selling period? These images are usually of furnished rooms. You know these are not actual photos of the place because the building is not yet built, but the photos look so realistic, to the point that you're not so sure anymore. Well, these images were rendered by talented computer-aided design (CAD) designers using computer software!
CAD designers are obviously creative people. They know how to bring their clients' visions to life. Another important aspect of this job is knowing how to communicate with and handle clients. It is no secret that clients may sometimes be finicky, or may change their minds from time to time. As such, patience is a must. You must be patient throughout the whole design process! If you want to pursue a career as a CAD designer, you better start learning how to use different design software. Maybe try tinkering around with the program; check how you can make carpet rugs look realistic enough that viewers would want to step on them.
Civil Engineers are responsible for designing, building and supervising infrastructure projects and systems. A lot of times they're able to split their time between working outside and in an office. So, at least, you won't be spending all of your time outside. Which is especially important depending on the seasons. No one wants to spend all day outside in the sweltering heat, but they also probably don't want to freeze to death in the dead of winter.
These experts design structures, select appropriate building materials, check the construction work, and ensure the structural soundness of buildings and structures. They generate reports, designs, and drawings. They calculate the pressures, loads, and stresses a proposed structure can withstand. Also, they provide technical advice on structures designs and construction. Structures engineers work with architects and other engineers. Additionally, they obtain building and planning regulations approval and other necessary documents.
Structures engineers are required to have a minimum of a bachelor's degree in civil or structural engineering and at least six years of work experience in a related role. Candidates must belong to the relevant institutes. You must be an expert in project management. You must be familiar with construction methods, materials, and legal regulations. Skills required for this role are problem-solving, analytical, attention to detail, communication, and organization skills. These professionals are paid about $79,728 yearly. Their salary ranges from $59,000 to $108,000.
Rank | State | Number of Jobs | Average Salary |
---|---|---|---|
1 | California | 5,724 | $89,432 |
2 | Texas | 2,201 | $69,169 |
3 | New York | 1,740 | $89,450 |
4 | Florida | 1,297 | $61,569 |
5 | Washington | 1,268 | $82,423 |
6 | Virginia | 1,185 | $79,137 |
7 | Massachusetts | 1,151 | $86,188 |
8 | Georgia | 1,091 | $58,276 |
9 | Illinois | 1,055 | $74,195 |
10 | Pennsylvania | 995 | $81,873 |
11 | North Carolina | 895 | $75,290 |
12 | Michigan | 866 | $66,300 |
13 | Ohio | 821 | $71,266 |
14 | Maryland | 780 | $69,743 |
15 | Oregon | 771 | $84,146 |
16 | Arizona | 723 | $66,598 |
17 | Colorado | 721 | $83,922 |
18 | Minnesota | 707 | $77,248 |
19 | Wisconsin | 610 | $63,944 |
20 | New Jersey | 605 | $85,188 |
21 | Indiana | 435 | $78,155 |
22 | Alabama | 426 | $77,735 |
23 | Missouri | 408 | $81,479 |
24 | Connecticut | 395 | $92,376 |
25 | Utah | 376 | $72,787 |
26 | Tennessee | 370 | $62,695 |
27 | South Carolina | 344 | $67,083 |
28 | Iowa | 290 | $76,676 |
29 | Kansas | 236 | $66,337 |
30 | Kentucky | 222 | $77,938 |
31 | Oklahoma | 215 | $75,191 |
32 | New Hampshire | 200 | $78,766 |
33 | New Mexico | 182 | $68,405 |
34 | Louisiana | 178 | $70,314 |
35 | Arkansas | 178 | $58,171 |
36 | Nebraska | 176 | $62,897 |
37 | Nevada | 162 | $73,319 |
38 | Idaho | 149 | $73,030 |
39 | Mississippi | 143 | $72,161 |
40 | Maine | 126 | $82,618 |
41 | Delaware | 124 | $86,868 |
42 | Rhode Island | 124 | $82,937 |
43 | Montana | 116 | $68,587 |
44 | Alaska | 105 | $96,910 |
45 | Vermont | 95 | $81,967 |
46 | South Dakota | 93 | $62,233 |
47 | North Dakota | 91 | $68,737 |
48 | Hawaii | 91 | $59,293 |
49 | West Virginia | 89 | $72,772 |
50 | Wyoming | 74 | $62,872 |
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
Chicago, IL • Private
In-State Tuition
$47,646
Enrollment
2,924
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-State Tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
Albuquerque, NM • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,633
Enrollment
17,321
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
Stanford, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,101
Enrollment
23,708
Hoboken, NJ • Private
In-State Tuition
$52,202
Enrollment
3,420
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
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Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Halliburton | $111,147 | $53.44 | 1 |
2 | Intel | $108,403 | $52.12 | 1 |
3 | General Motors | $105,411 | $50.68 | 1 |
4 | ERM | $100,899 | $48.51 | 1 |
5 | Unm Medical Group, Inc. | $90,483 | $43.50 | 1 |
6 | Concept Solutions | $84,934 | $40.83 | 1 |
7 | Lockheed Martin | $83,157 | $39.98 | 1 |
8 | Bosch USA | $78,019 | $37.51 | 4 |
9 | LERA Consulting Structural Engineers | $76,954 | $37.00 | 1 |
10 | Raytheon Technologies | $75,746 | $36.42 | 1 |