Electrical Drafting & CAD/CADD

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

The following table lists how many electrical/electronics drafting & electrical/electronics cad/cadd graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	26
Associate Degree	19
Undergraduate Certificate	2

What Electrical Drafting & CAD/CADD Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to electrical/electronics drafting and electrical/electronics 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 Electrical/Electronics Drafting and Electrical/Electronics CAD/CADD Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in electrical/electronics drafting and electrical/electronics cad/cadd should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• 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.
• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• 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 Electrical/Electronics Drafting and Electrical/Electronics CAD/CADD Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to electrical/electronics drafting and electrical/electronics cad/cadd:

• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• 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.

Abilities for Electrical/Electronics Drafting and Electrical/Electronics CAD/CADD Majors

As a electrical/electronics drafting and electrical/electronics cad/cadd major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• 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.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

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

People with a electrical/electronics drafting and electrical/electronics cad/cadd degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Electrical Drafters	6.9%	$60,070
Electronic Drafters	6.9%	$60,070

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

This major tends to be male dominated. About 74% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of electrical/electronics drafting and electrical/electronics cad/cadd majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	1
Black or African American	1
Hispanic or Latino	2
White	14
International Students	0
Other Races/Ethnicities	1

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

Salaries According to BLS

The median salary for someone in a career related to electrical/electronics drafting and electrical/electronics cad/cadd is $64,400. 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 Electrical Drafting & CAD/CADD

Some careers associated with electrical/electronics drafting and electrical/electronics cad/cadd require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. 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.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to electrical/electronics drafting and electrical/electronics cad/cadd have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	11.1%
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)	32.4%
Some College Courses	8.9%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	28.6%
Bachelor’s Degree	17.2%
Master’s Degree	1.7%

Online Electrical Drafting & CAD/CADD 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)	4	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	7	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 Electrical Drafting & CAD/CADD Worth It?

The median salary for a electrical/electronics drafting and electrical/electronics cad/cadd grad is $64,400 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 61% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $490,000 after 20 years!

Trades Related to Electrical Drafting & CAD/CADD

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to electrical/electronics drafting and electrical/electronics cad/cadd.

Major	Number of Grads
General Drafting & Design Technology	4,028
CAD/CADD Drafting &/or Design Technology	2,179
Architectural Drafting & Architectural CAD/CADD	1,318
Mechanical Drafting & Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD	1,058
Civil Drafting & Civil Engineering CAD/CADD	104
Other Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies	72

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.