Drafting & Design Engineering

Types of Degrees Drafting & Design Engineering Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many drafting & design engineering technology graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	3,716
Associate Degree	2,955
Undergraduate Certificate	1,622
Bachelor’s Degree	337

What Drafting & Design Engineering Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to design engineering tech and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Design Engineering Tech Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in design engineering tech should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Skills for Design Engineering Tech Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to design engineering tech:

• 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.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for Design Engineering Tech Majors

As you progress with your design engineering tech degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

What Can You Do With a Drafting & Design Engineering Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with design engineering tech:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Architectural Drafters	8.1%	$54,920
Civil Drafters	8.1%	$54,920
Drafters	8.2%	$51,850
Electrical Drafters	6.9%	$60,070
Electronic Drafters	6.9%	$60,070
Mechanical Drafters	5.2%	$55,920

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Drafting & Design Engineering?

This is one of the most frequently chosen trade school majors. It is the 15th most popular in the country with 2,945 students graduating with an associate’s in design engineering tech in 2021. This major attracts more men than women. About 72% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of design engineering tech majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	135
Black or African American	139
Hispanic or Latino	593
White	1,844
International Students	65
Other Races/Ethnicities	179

Geographic Diversity

Design Engineering Tech appeals to people across the globe. About 2.2% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• China
• India
• Vietnam
• Saudi Arabia
• Mexico

How Much Do Drafting & Design Engineering Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $54,240 to $59,010 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to design engineering tech. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Drafting & Design Engineering

Some degrees associated with design engineering tech may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for design engineering tech careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	5.7%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	20.3%
Some College Courses	9.0%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	36.7%
Bachelor’s Degree	23.1%
Master’s Degree	4.9%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	0.0%
Post-Doctoral Training	0.0%

Online Drafting & Design Engineering Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	412	16
Certificate (2-4 Years)	20	3
Associate’s Degree	538	20
Bachelor’s Degree	3	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	12	3
Post-Master’s	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Drafting & Design Engineering Worth It?

The median salary for a design engineering tech grad is $56,700 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 42% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $336,000 after 20 years!

Trades Related to Drafting & Design Engineering

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to design engineering tech.

Major	Number of Grads
Industrial Production Technology	11,288
Electromechanical Engineering Technology	10,780
Environmental Control Technology	9,376
Electronics Engineering Technology	8,347
Engineering-Related Fields	6,553
Mechanical Engineering Technology	6,205
Construction Engineering Technology	4,299
General Engineering Technology	3,841
Quality Control Technology	3,720
Computer Engineering Technology	3,509
Engineering Technology (Other)	1,907
Energy Systems Technologies	1,277
Architectural Engineering Technology	1,239
Civil Engineering Technology	1,155
Engineering-Related Technologies	969
Mining & Petroleum Technology	410
Nuclear Engineering Technology	235
Nanotechnology	104

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Pixabay under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.