Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD

Types of Degrees Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many civil drafting and civil engineering CAD/CADD graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Undergraduate Certificate	40
Associate Degree	29
Basic Certificate	17

What Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to civil drafting and civil engineering CAD/CADD 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 Civil Drafting and Civil Engineering CAD/CADD Majors

Civil Drafting and Civil Engineering CAD/CADD majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• 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.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Skills for Civil Drafting and Civil Engineering CAD/CADD Majors

A major in civil drafting and civil engineering CAD/CADD prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• 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.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities for Civil Drafting and Civil Engineering CAD/CADD Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a civil drafting and civil engineering CAD/CADD student include the following:

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

What Can You Do With a Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD Major?

People with a civil drafting and civil engineering CAD/CADD degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Civil Drafters	8.1%	$54,920

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 90% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of civil drafting and civil engineering CAD/CADD majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	1
Black or African American	0
Hispanic or Latino	10
White	17
International Students	0
Other Races/Ethnicities	1

How Much Do Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

The median salary for someone in a career related to civil drafting and civil engineering CAD/CADD is $56,700. This median refers to 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 Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD

Some degrees associated with civil drafting and civil engineering CAD/CADD 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 civil drafting and civil engineering CAD/CADD careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
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)	14.3%
Some College Courses	19.1%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	47.6%
Bachelor’s Degree	19.1%

Online Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD Programs

In 2020-2021, 27 schools offered a civil drafting and civil engineering CAD/CADD program of some type. 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)	16	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	14	0
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	0	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD Worth It?

The median salary for a civil drafting and civil engineering CAD/CADD 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 Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to civil drafting and civil engineering CAD/CADD.

Major	Number of Grads
General Drafting & Design Technology	4,140
CAD/CADD Drafting &/or Design Technology	2,233
Architectural Drafting & Architectural CAD/CADD	1,141
Mechanical Drafting & Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD	1,082
Other Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies	70
Electrical/Electronics Drafting & Electrical/Electronics CAD/CADD	49
3-D Modeling and Design Technology	18

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.