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Senior design drafter education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a senior design drafter. Senior design drafters usually study drafting and design, mechanical engineering, or engineering. 71% of senior design drafters hold a associate degree, and 15% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 586 real senior design drafter resumes to see exactly what senior design drafter education sections show.

The most common colleges for senior design drafters are the Oklahoma State University and the Oklahoma State University.

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

There are certain senior design drafter certifications that you should consider. These senior design drafter certifications include AutoCAD Certified Professional and Certified Agile Developer (CAD).

What education do you need to become a senior design drafter?

What degree do you need to be a senior design drafter?

The most common degree for senior design drafters is associate degree, with 71% of senior design drafters earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 15% and bachelor's degree degree at 5%.
  • Associate, 71%
  • Bachelor's, 15%
  • Diploma, 5%
  • High School Diploma, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a senior design drafter?

You should major in drafting and design to become a senior design drafter. 47% of senior design drafters major in drafting and design. Other common majors for a senior design drafter include mechanical engineering and engineering.

Most common colleges for senior design drafters

Senior design drafters often get their degrees at Oklahoma State University, University of Phoenix, and Wentworth Institute of Technology. Here are the most common colleges for senior design drafters in the US based on their resumes.
Senior design drafter common collegePercentages
Oklahoma State University9.30%
University of Phoenix6.98%
Wentworth Institute of Technology6.98%
University of New Mexico6.98%
Central State University4.65%

Best majors for senior design drafters

Best colleges for senior design drafters

The best colleges for senior design drafters are Northwestern University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and University of Pittsburgh.

A senior design 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 senior design 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 senior design drafters.

1. LeTourneau University

Longview, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$30,210

Enrollment

1,771

2. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,570

Enrollment

3,721

3. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$42,345

Enrollment

12,886

4. Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$12,960

Enrollment

16,157

5. SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Delhi, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,360

Enrollment

3,142

6. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$11,788

Enrollment

11,008

7. New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,120

Enrollment

16,204

8. Northern Michigan University

Marquette, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,729

Enrollment

6,722

9. Siena Heights University

Adrian, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$27,124

Enrollment

2,035

10. Montana State University - Bozeman

Bozeman, MT • Private

In-state tuition

$7,277

Enrollment

14,566

20 best online courses for senior design drafters

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Top 10 most affordable universities for senior design drafters

The most affordable schools for senior design drafters are SUNY Farmingdale, new york city college of technology of the city university of new york, and brigham young university - idaho.

If the best universities for senior design 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 senior design drafters.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. 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

3. Brigham Young University - Idaho

Rexburg, ID • Private

In-state tuition

$4,118

Cost of attendance

12,223

4. Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

Tifton, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$3,503

Cost of attendance

12,843

5. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

6. New Mexico State University

Las Cruces, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$6,686

Cost of attendance

17,885

7. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

8. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Aguadilla

Aguadilla, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,902

Cost of attendance

13,284

9. Tarleton State University

Stephenville, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$7,292

Cost of attendance

20,387

10. Inter American University of Puerto Rico San German

San German, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

14,322

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for senior design drafters

The hardest universities for senior design drafters to get into are Northwestern University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and University of Pittsburgh.

Some great schools for senior design 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 senior design 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

66%

SAT average

1,319

3. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

59%

SAT average

1,367

4. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,309

5. LeTourneau University

Longview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

46%

SAT average

1,205

6. Milwaukee School of Engineering

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

63%

SAT average

1,295

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

9. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

Admissions rate

65%

SAT average

1,176

10. University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown

Johnstown, PA • Private

Admissions rate

65%

SAT average

1,120

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

The easiest schools for senior design drafters to get into are Ferris State University, oregon institute of technology, and eastern michigan university.

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

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. Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, MI • Private

Admissions rate

76%

SAT average

1,025

4. Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis

Indianapolis, IN • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,111

5. McPherson College

McPherson, KS • Private

Admissions rate

77%

SAT average

1,084

6. Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,080

7. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

8. SUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Delhi, NY • Private

Admissions rate

64%

SAT average

1,011

9. University of Toledo

Toledo, OH • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

1,145

10. SUNY College of Agriculture & Technology at Morrisville

Morrisville, NY • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

955

Average senior design drafter salary by education level

Senior design drafters with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $54,217 annually. With a Associate degree, senior design drafters earn a median annual income of $52,074 compared to $50,274 for senior design drafters with an High School Diploma degree.
Senior design drafter education levelSenior design drafter salary
High School Diploma or Less$50,274
Bachelor's Degree$54,217
Some College/ Associate Degree$52,074

Senior design drafter education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

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