What Do Architectural Drafter Do?
Career Description Prepare detailed drawings of architectural designs and plans for buildings and structures according to specifications provided by architect.
A Day in the Life of an Architectural Drafter
- Create freehand drawings and lettering to accompany drawings.
- Calculate heat loss and gain of buildings and structures to determine required equipment specifications, following standard procedures.
- Build landscape, architectural, and display models.
- Prepare colored drawings of landscape and interior designs for presentation to client.
- Supervise, coordinate, and inspect the work of draftspersons, technicians, and technologists on construction projects.
- Draw rough and detailed scale plans for foundations, buildings, and structures, based on preliminary concepts, sketches, engineering calculations, specification sheets, and other data.
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Qualities of an Architectural Drafter
Architectural Drafters state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Other Architectural Drafter Job Titles
- Computer-Aided Design Drafter (CAD Drafter)
- Designer
- Truss Designer
- Detailer
- Project Architect
Architectural Drafter Job Outlook
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 99,600 jobs in the United States for Architectural Drafter. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8.1% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 8,100 new jobs for Architectural Drafter by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 9,500 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Architectural Drafter are Utah, Nevada, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, West Virginia, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for an Architectural Drafter
The typical yearly salary for Architectural Drafters is somewhere between $35,020 and $80,880.
Architectural Drafters who work in District of Columbia, Illinois, or California, make the highest salaries.
How much do Architectural Drafters make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $52,740 |
| Alaska | $60,200 |
| Arizona | $58,700 |
| Arkansas | $45,500 |
| California | $63,320 |
| Colorado | $59,560 |
| Connecticut | $64,390 |
| Delaware | $52,830 |
| District of Columbia | $68,330 |
| Florida | $53,270 |
| Georgia | $57,280 |
| Hawaii | $54,520 |
| Idaho | $48,710 |
| Illinois | $64,720 |
| Indiana | $54,080 |
| Iowa | $55,490 |
| Kansas | $50,500 |
| Kentucky | $51,330 |
| Louisiana | $56,390 |
| Maine | $51,380 |
| Maryland | $64,560 |
| Massachusetts | $59,740 |
| Michigan | $51,760 |
| Minnesota | $54,300 |
| Mississippi | $48,980 |
| Missouri | $55,000 |
| Montana | $46,020 |
| Nebraska | $50,270 |
| Nevada | $49,510 |
| New Hampshire | $53,540 |
| New Jersey | $58,840 |
| New Mexico | $51,200 |
| New York | $59,770 |
| North Carolina | $53,160 |
| North Dakota | $57,230 |
| Ohio | $53,720 |
| Oklahoma | $54,840 |
| Oregon | $58,480 |
| Pennsylvania | $52,320 |
| Rhode Island | $58,190 |
| South Carolina | $51,820 |
| South Dakota | $43,090 |
| Tennessee | $54,360 |
| Texas | $56,120 |
| Utah | $51,640 |
| Vermont | $45,310 |
| Virginia | $54,390 |
| Washington | $58,170 |
| West Virginia | $56,320 |
| Wisconsin | $53,450 |
| Wyoming | $53,050 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Architectural Drafters
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Architectural Drafters may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Word processing software
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Project
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft Visio
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Database software
- Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
- C
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
- Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS
- Bentley MicroStation
- SAP software
How to Become an Architectural Drafter
What education is needed to be an Architectural Drafter?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Architectural Drafters Are Employed
The table below shows the approximate number of Architectural Drafters employed by various industries.
Similar Careers
Those thinking about becoming an Architectural Drafter might also be interested in the following careers:
Are you already one of the many Architectural Drafter in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Pixabay via CC0 License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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