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Architectural and Civil Drafters in Pennsylvania
Want to work as an Architectural and Civil Drafters in Pennsylvania? Here’s what the data says. Prepare detailed drawings of architectural and structural features of buildings or drawings and topographical relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, and public works. Use knowledge of building materials, engineering practices, and mathematics to complete drawings.
What do Architectural and Civil Drafters Make in Pennsylvania?
The architectural and civil drafters working in Pennsylvania, the median annual wage is $63,370 per year (or about $30.46/hour).Earnings range from $45,910 at the 10th percentile to $95,010 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $45,910 | $22.07 |
| 25th percentile | $53,680 | $25.81 |
| Median (50th) | $63,370 | $30.46 |
| 75th percentile | $77,270 | $37.15 |
| 90th percentile | $95,010 | $45.68 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Pennsylvania compared to the national average — is 1.22, meaning that architectural and civil drafters are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, architectural and civil drafters earn a median of $82,779 per year ($39.80/hour), lower than the Pennsylvania median.
Employment Outlook
Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 101,030 architectural and civil drafters nationwide. In Pennsylvania alone, about 5,230 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 1,310 architectural and civil drafters.
Top Pennsylvania Metros for Architectural and Civil Drafters
The largest metro-area employers of architectural and civil drafters in Pennsylvania.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 2,030 | $65,300 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 1,030 | $62,020 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 350 | $63,040 |
| Lancaster, PA | 350 | $60,630 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 290 | $63,800 |
| York-Hanover, PA | 190 | $61,420 |
| Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA | 130 | $63,130 |
| Reading, PA | 120 | $66,770 |
| State College, PA | 90 | $60,690 |
| Johnstown, PA | 70 | $51,330 |
| Erie, PA | 60 | $56,160 |
| Williamsport, PA | 60 | $59,130 |
| Altoona, PA | 50 | $66,400 |
| Chambersburg, PA | 50 | $62,220 |
| Lebanon, PA | 40 | $57,070 |
Top States for Architectural and Civil Drafters Employment
These states have the highest employment of architectural and civil drafters work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| Texas | 13,480 |
| California | 12,950 |
| Florida | 8,140 |
| New York | 8,010 |
| Pennsylvania | 5,230 |
| Georgia | 3,480 |
| Colorado | 3,300 |
| Ohio | 3,260 |
| North Carolina | 3,140 |
| Massachusetts | 2,730 |
| Arizona | 2,600 |
| Minnesota | 2,440 |
| Missouri | 2,420 |
| Virginia | 2,320 |
| Michigan | 2,120 |
| Wisconsin | 2,060 |
| New Jersey | 1,990 |
| Washington | 1,910 |
| Illinois | 1,760 |
| Indiana | 1,700 |
Highest-Paying States for Architectural and Civil Drafters
These states pay the most for architectural and civil drafters.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $88,430 |
| Alaska | $85,700 |
| Colorado | $76,960 |
| Massachusetts | $75,850 |
| New York | $74,760 |
| California | $74,390 |
| Louisiana | $72,580 |
| Maryland | $71,810 |
| Nevada | $71,460 |
| Maine | $70,760 |
Skills
Key architectural and civil drafters skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Top abilities for architectural and civil drafters, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Common tasks include:
- Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.
- Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes.
- Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans.
- Analyze building codes, by-laws, space and site requirements, and other technical documents and reports to determine their effect on architectural designs.
- Draw maps, diagrams, and profiles, using cross-sections and surveys, to represent elevations, topographical contours, subsurface formations, and structures.
- Lay out and plan interior room arrangements for commercial buildings, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment and software.
- Supervise and train other technologists, technicians, and drafters.
- Determine the order of work and method of presentation, such as orthographic or isometric drawing.
- Finish and duplicate drawings and documentation packages according to required mediums and specifications for reproduction, using blueprinting, photography, or other duplicating methods.
- Draw rough and detailed scale plans for foundations, buildings, and structures, based on preliminary concepts, sketches, engineering calculations, specification sheets, and other data.
- Correlate, interpret, and modify data obtained from topographical surveys, well logs, and geophysical prospecting reports.
- Check dimensions of materials to be used and assign numbers to lists of materials.
Work Activities
- Working with Computers
- Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
- Getting Information
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Thinking Creatively
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Processing Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Adobe Acrobat, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator In-demand technologies: Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Programs that train for this career include:
Related Careers
Related occupations to architectural and civil drafters include:
- Construction Managers
- Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Software Developers
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval
- Civil Engineers
- Electrical Engineers
Also Known As
Architect, Architectural CAD Drafter (Architectural Computer-Aided Design Drafter), Architectural Computer-Aided Design Technician (Architectural CAD Technician), Architectural Designer, Architectural Drafter, Architectural Draftsman, Architectural Technician, Architectural Technologist, Architecture Designer, Architecture Drafter, Architecture Technician, AutoCAD Designer (Auto Computer-Aided Design Designer), AutoCAD Drafter (Auto Computer-Aided Design Drafter), BIM Designer (Building Information Modeling Designer), BIM Modeler (Building Information Modeling Modeler).
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 17-3011.00
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