What You Need to Know About Architectural Drafter
Job Description & Duties Prepare detailed drawings of architectural designs and plans for buildings and structures according to specifications provided by architect.
Life As an Architectural Drafter
- Create freehand drawings and lettering to accompany drawings.
- Build landscape, architectural, and display models.
- Check dimensions of materials to be used and assign numbers to lists of materials.
- Calculate heat loss and gain of buildings and structures to determine required equipment specifications, following standard procedures.
- Determine procedures and instructions to be followed, according to design specifications and quantity of required materials.
- Analyze building codes, by-laws, space and site requirements, and other technical documents and reports to determine their effect on architectural designs.
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Things an Architectural Drafter Should Know How to Do
Architectural Drafters state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
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.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Related Job Titles
- Oil and Gas Drafter
- AutoCAD Designer
- Steel Detailer
- Truss Designer
- Project Architect
Architectural Drafter Employment Estimates
In the United States, there were 99,600 jobs for Architectural Drafter in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8.1% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 8,100 new jobs for Architectural Drafter by 2026. There will be an estimated 9,500 positions for Architectural Drafter per year.
The states with the most job growth for Architectural Drafter are Utah, Nevada, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, West Virginia, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Architectural Drafters Salary
The typical yearly salary for Architectural Drafters is somewhere between $35,020 and $80,880.
Architectural Drafters who work in District of Columbia, Illinois, or California, make the highest salaries.
How much do Architectural Drafters make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $52,740 |
| Alaska | $60,200 |
| Arizona | $58,700 |
| Arkansas | $45,500 |
| California | $63,320 |
| Colorado | $59,560 |
| Connecticut | $64,390 |
| Delaware | $52,830 |
| District of Columbia | $68,330 |
| Florida | $53,270 |
| Georgia | $57,280 |
| Hawaii | $54,520 |
| Idaho | $48,710 |
| Illinois | $64,720 |
| Indiana | $54,080 |
| Iowa | $55,490 |
| Kansas | $50,500 |
| Kentucky | $51,330 |
| Louisiana | $56,390 |
| Maine | $51,380 |
| Maryland | $64,560 |
| Massachusetts | $59,740 |
| Michigan | $51,760 |
| Minnesota | $54,300 |
| Mississippi | $48,980 |
| Missouri | $55,000 |
| Montana | $46,020 |
| Nebraska | $50,270 |
| Nevada | $49,510 |
| New Hampshire | $53,540 |
| New Jersey | $58,840 |
| New Mexico | $51,200 |
| New York | $59,770 |
| North Carolina | $53,160 |
| North Dakota | $57,230 |
| Ohio | $53,720 |
| Oklahoma | $54,840 |
| Oregon | $58,480 |
| Pennsylvania | $52,320 |
| Rhode Island | $58,190 |
| South Carolina | $51,820 |
| South Dakota | $43,090 |
| Tennessee | $54,360 |
| Texas | $56,120 |
| Utah | $51,640 |
| Vermont | $45,310 |
| Virginia | $54,390 |
| Washington | $58,170 |
| West Virginia | $56,320 |
| Wisconsin | $53,450 |
| Wyoming | $53,050 |
What Tools & Technology do Architectural Drafters Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Architectural Drafters may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Word processing software
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Project
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft Visio
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Database software
- Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
- C
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
- Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS
- Bentley MicroStation
- SAP software
Becoming an Architectural Drafter
Education needed to be an Architectural Drafter:
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Architectural Drafters Are Employed
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Those interested in being an Architectural Drafter may also be interested in:
Career changers with experience as an Architectural Drafter sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
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More about our data sources and methodologies.
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