Drafters use software to convert the designs of engineers and architects into technical drawings and plans.
Workers in production and construction use these plans to build everything from microchips to skyscrapers.
Work Environment
Although drafters spend much of their time working on computers in an office, some may visit jobsites in order to collaborate with architects and engineers. Most drafters work full time.
Pay (Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
The median annual wage in May 2024 for drafters nationally was $65,380 in May 2024.
Career Outlook
On average between 2024 to 2034, approximately 16,200 openings for drafters are projected each year. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or who retire.