Drafting & Design Technology

Types of Degrees Drafting & Design Technology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many general drafting and design technology graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	1,727
Associate Degree	1,283
Undergraduate Certificate	994
Bachelor’s Degree	136

What Drafting & Design Technology Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, general drafting and design tech majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for General Drafting & Design Tech Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in general drafting and design 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 General Drafting & Design Tech Majors

A major in general drafting and design tech 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.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for General Drafting & Design Tech Majors

As a general drafting and design tech major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• 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 Technology Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with general drafting and design 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 Technology?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 72% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	48
Black or African American	80
Hispanic or Latino	295
White	750
International Students	22
Other Races/Ethnicities	88

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in General Drafting & Design Tech. About 1.7% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Drafting & Design Technology Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $54,240 to $59,010 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to general drafting and design 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 Technology

Some degrees associated with general drafting and design tech may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for general drafting and design 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 Technology Programs

In 2020-2021, 321 schools offered a general drafting and design tech 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)	186	8
Certificate (2-4 Years)	6	1
Associate’s Degree	221	5
Bachelor’s Degree	1	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	4	1
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 Drafting & Design Technology Worth It?

The median salary for a general drafting and design 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 Technology

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

Major	Number of Grads
CAD/CADD Drafting &/or Design Technology	2,233
Architectural Drafting & Architectural CAD/CADD	1,141
Mechanical Drafting & Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD	1,082
Civil Drafting & Civil Engineering CAD/CADD	86
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.