Drafters
Overview
Introduction
Drafters prepare working plans and detailed drawings of products or structures from the rough sketches, specifications, and calculations of engineers, architects, and designers. These drawings are used in engineering or manufacturing processes to reproduce exactly the product or structure desired, according to the specified dimensions. The drafter uses knowledge of various machines, engineering practices, mathematics, and building materials, along with other physical sciences and extensive computer skills, to complete the drawings. ...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Earnings in this field are dependent on a number of factors including skills and experience. Individuals with more extensive advanced training tend to earn higher beginning salaries. Salaries also are affected by regional demands in specific specialties, so where a drafter chooses to live and work will play a part in his or her salary.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, median an...
Work Environment
The drafter usually works in a well-lit, air-conditioned, quiet room. This may be a central drafting room where drafters work side by side at large, tilted drawing tables or at CAD workstations. Some drafters work in an individual department, such as engineering, research, or development, where they work alone or with other drafters and with engineers, designers, or scientists. Occasionally, dr...
Outlook
Employment for drafters will decline by 1 percent from 2023 to 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, although the employment outlook varies by specialty. It predicts the following employment outlooks by specialty through 2033:
- architectural and civil drafters: +1 percent
- electrical and electronics drafters: +4 percent
- mechanical drafters: -5 percent
