What is a Senior Computer Aided Design Designer?

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.

What Does a Senior Computer Aided Design Designer Do

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.

How To Become a Senior Computer Aided Design Designer

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.

Top Senior Computer Aided Design Designer Jobs Near You

Average Salary for a Senior Computer Aided Design Designer

Senior Computer Aided Design Designers in America make an average salary of $72,604 per year or $35 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $121,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $43,000 per year.
Average Senior Computer Aided Design Designer Salary
$72,604 Yearly
$34.91 hourly

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Roles and Types of Senior Computer Aided Design Designer

There are several types of senior computer aided design designer, including:

Computer Aided Design Designer

Role:

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.

  • Average Salary: $60,150
  • Degree: Associate Degree

Civil Engineer

Role:

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.

  • Average Salary: $70,950
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Structures Engineer

Role:

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.

  • Average Salary: $73,391
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree
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States With The Most Senior Computer Aided Design Designer Jobs

Number Of Senior Computer Aided Design Designer Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1California5,724$89,432
2Texas2,201$69,169
3New York1,740$89,450
4Florida1,297$61,569
5Washington1,268$82,423
6Virginia1,185$79,137
7Massachusetts1,151$86,188
8Georgia1,091$58,276
9Illinois1,055$74,195
10Pennsylvania995$81,873
11North Carolina895$75,290
12Michigan866$66,300
13Ohio821$71,266
14Maryland780$69,743
15Oregon771$84,146
16Arizona723$66,598
17Colorado721$83,922
18Minnesota707$77,248
19Wisconsin610$63,944
20New Jersey605$85,188
21Indiana435$78,155
22Alabama426$77,735
23Missouri408$81,479
24Connecticut395$92,376
25Utah376$72,787
26Tennessee370$62,695
27South Carolina344$67,083
28Iowa290$76,676
29Kansas236$66,337
30Kentucky222$77,938
31Oklahoma215$75,191
32New Hampshire200$78,766
33New Mexico182$68,405
34Louisiana178$70,314
35Arkansas178$58,171
36Nebraska176$62,897
37Nevada162$73,319
38Idaho149$73,030
39Mississippi143$72,161
40Maine126$82,618
41Delaware124$86,868
42Rhode Island124$82,937
43Montana116$68,587
44Alaska105$96,910
45Vermont95$81,967
46South Dakota93$62,233
47North Dakota91$68,737
48Hawaii91$59,293
49West Virginia89$72,772
50Wyoming74$62,872

Senior Computer Aided Design Designer Education

Senior Computer Aided Design Designer Majors

Drafting And Design
29.2 %
Electrical Engineering Technology
8.3 %
Electrical Engineering
8.3 %

Senior Computer Aided Design Designer Degrees

Associate

42.1 %

Bachelors

36.8 %

Diploma

15.8 %

Top Colleges for Senior Computer Aided Design Designers

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. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-State Tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

4. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,816

Enrollment

21,047

5. University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,633

Enrollment

17,321

6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

9. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,101

Enrollment

23,708

10. Stevens Institute of Technology

Hoboken, NJ • Private

In-State Tuition

$52,202

Enrollment

3,420

Senior Computer Aided Design Designer diversity

Senior Computer Aided Design Designer Gender Distribution

Male
Male
76%
Female
Female
24%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among senior computer aided design designers, 24.1% of them are women, while 75.9% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among senior computer aided design designers is White, which makes up 71.6% of all senior computer aided design designers.

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Top Senior Computer Aided Design Designer Employers

Most Common Employers For Senior Computer Aided Design Designer

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1Halliburton$111,147$53.441
2Intel$108,403$52.121
3General Motors$105,411$50.681
4ERM$100,899$48.511
5Unm Medical Group, Inc.$90,483$43.501
6Concept Solutions$84,934$40.831
7Lockheed Martin$83,157$39.981
8Bosch USA$78,019$37.514
9LERA Consulting Structural Engineers$76,954$37.001
10Raytheon Technologies$75,746$36.421
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Senior Computer Aided Design Designer Videos

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Updated April 6, 2023