What You Need to Know About Civil Drafter
Position Description Prepare drawings and topographical and relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, pipelines, flood control projects, and water and sewerage control systems.
What Do Civil Drafters Do On a Daily Basis?
- Finish and duplicate drawings and documentation packages according to required mediums and specifications for reproduction, using blueprinting, photography, or other duplicating methods.
- Explain drawings to production or construction teams and provide adjustments as necessary.
- Locate and identify symbols on topographical surveys to denote geological and geophysical formations or oil field installations.
- Review rough sketches, drawings, specifications, and other engineering data received from civil engineers to ensure that they conform to design concepts.
- Correlate, interpret, and modify data obtained from topographical surveys, well logs, and geophysical prospecting reports.
- Supervise or conduct field surveys, inspections, or technical investigations to obtain data required to revise construction drawings.
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Qualities of a Civil Drafter
Below is a list of the skills most Civil Drafters say are important on the job.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
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.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Structural Drafter
- Design Draftsman
- Civil Drafter
- Structural Designer
- Computer-Aided Drafting and Design Drafter (CADD Drafter)
Job Demand for Civil Drafters
There were about 99,600 jobs for Civil Drafter in 2016 (in the United States). 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 Civil 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 Civil 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.
Civil Drafter Average Salary
The average yearly salary of a Civil Drafter ranges between $35,020 and $80,880.
Civil Drafters who work in District of Columbia, Illinois, or California, make the highest salaries.
How much do Civil 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 Civil Drafters
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Civil Drafters:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Project
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft Visio
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Extensible markup language XML
- Bentley Microstation
- PTC Creo Parametric
- ESRI ArcView
- Autodesk Revit
- Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D
- Computer aided design and drafting software CADD
- Geomechanical design analysis GDA software
- Adobe Systems Adobe After Effects
- ESRI ArcGIS software
How to Become a Civil Drafter
Individuals working as a Civil Drafter have obtained the following education levels:
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Civil Drafters Work
The table below shows the approximate number of Civil Drafters employed by various industries.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Those thinking about becoming a Civil Drafter might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
Image Credit: Pixabay via CC0 License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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