Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD

What Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to mechanical drafting and mechanical drafting 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 Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in mechanical drafting and mechanical drafting cad/cadd 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.
• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Skills for Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD Majors

A major in mechanical drafting and mechanical drafting cad/cadd prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• 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.
• Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Abilities for Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD Majors

A major in mechanical drafting and mechanical drafting cad/cadd will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
• Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
• 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.

What Can You Do With a Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with mechanical drafting and mechanical drafting cad/cadd:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Mechanical Drafters	5.2%	$55,920

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD

Some degrees associated with mechanical drafting and mechanical drafting 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.

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

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)	8.1%
Some College Courses	7.5%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	61.9%
Bachelor’s Degree	20.4%
Master’s Degree	2.8%
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.	0.1%
Post-Doctoral Training	0.1%

Online Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical 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)	53	2
Certificate (2-4 Years)	2	0
Associate’s Degree	80	3
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

Majors Related to Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD

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

Major	Number of Grads
General Drafting & Design Technology	4,164
CAD/CADD Drafting &/or Design Technology	2,283
Architectural Drafting & Architectural CAD/CADD	1,360
Civil Drafting & Civil Engineering CAD/CADD	100
Other Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies	100
Electrical/Electronics Drafting & Electrical/Electronics CAD/CADD	47

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.