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Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD

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

Those studying Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	22
Associate’s Degree	44
Master’s Degree	42

What Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD Majors Need to Know

Programs in Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Design — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 6.0 / 7.
• Building and Construction — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Complex Problem Solving — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Systems Analysis — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Active Learning — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Expression — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Visualization — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.8 / 7
Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment	4.6 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.9 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.8 / 7
Thinking Creatively	3.8 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.7 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	3.7 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
C	Development environment software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Autodesk Softdesk	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Landscape modeling software	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Tekla software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
100 Plus Hatch Pattern Library	Pattern design software	—
Animation software	Video creation and editing software	—
Geographic information system GIS systems	Geographic information system	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD graduates include:

• Geological Drafter
• Directional Survey Drafter
• Civil CADD Designer (Civil Computer-Aided Drafting and Design Designer)
• Truss Designer
• Heating and Ventilating Drafter
• CAD Designer (Computer Aided Design Designer)
• Designer
• CADD Drafter (Computer-Aided Design and Drafting Drafter)
• Geophysical Drafter
• Civil Technician
• Draftsperson
• Structural Design Engineer
• Building Drafter
• Civil Engineer
• Structural Drafter

Who Is Earning a Degree in Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 73.1% of Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	29	26.9%
Men	79	73.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	57	52.8%
Asian	5	4.6%
Hispanic or Latino	28	25.9%
Black or African American	7	6.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	5	4.6%
Race Unknown	2	1.9%
International Students	4	3.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$43,976
4 years	$45,788
5 years	$51,867

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $51,867 — roughly 18% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

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

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Civil Drafting & CAD/CADD graduates earn a median of $45,788 four years after completion — roughly 20% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians	9,702
Drafting and Design Technology/Technician, General	4,395
CAD/CADD Drafting and/or Design Technology/Technician	2,476
Architectural Drafting and Architectural CAD/CADD	1,623
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians	1,557
Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD	932
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other	68
Electrical/Electronics Drafting and Electrical/Electronics CAD/CADD	60
3-D Modeling and Design Technology/Technician	40

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.