Education:
61%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
20%
Bachelor's Degree
Mechanical Drafters
This is a sub-career of
Drafter
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Select a specialized sub-career for more details.
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Job Outlook:
Decline
Education:
Associate's degree
Salary
High:
$99,070.00
Average:
$65,700.00
Hourly
Average:
$31.59
What they do:
Prepare detailed working diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices, including dimensions, fastening methods, and other engineering information.
On the job, you would:
- Develop detailed design drawings and specifications for mechanical equipment, dies, tools, and controls, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment.
- Produce three-dimensional models, using computer-aided design (CAD) software.
- Lay out and draw schematic, orthographic, or angle views to depict functional relationships of components, assemblies, systems, and machines.
Important Qualities
Creativity. Drafters must be able to turn plans and ideas into technical drawings of buildings, tools, and systems.
Detail oriented. Drafters must take care that the plans they convert are technically accurate according to the outlined specifications.
Interpersonal skills. Drafters work closely with architects, engineers, and other designers to make sure that final plans are accurate. This requires the ability to communicate effectively and work well with others.
Math skills. Drafters work on technical drawings. They may be required to calculate angles, weights, costs, and other values.
Technical skills. Drafters in all specialties must be able to use computer software, such as CAD, and work with database tools, such as building information modeling (BIM).
Time-management skills. Drafters often work under deadline. As a result, they must work efficiently to produce the required output according to set schedules.
Personality
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Characteristics of this Career |
|---|---|---|---|
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96% | Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. | |
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84% | Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. | |
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81% | Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. | |
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80% | Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical. | |
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79% | Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. | |
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76% | Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. | |
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75% | Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems. | |
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73% | Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations. | |
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72% | Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. | |
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71% | Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. | |
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69% | Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. | |
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65% | Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction. | |
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65% | Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|
|
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95% | Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Values of the Work Environment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
72% | Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical. |
Aptitude
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
69% | Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). |
Job Details
Responsibilities
Create graphical representations of mechanical equipment.
Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.
Analyze design or requirements information for mechanical equipment or systems.
Analyze design or requirements information for mechanical equipment or systems.
Create graphical representations of mechanical equipment.
Design electromechanical equipment or systems.
Create graphical representations of mechanical equipment.
Verify mathematical calculations.
Create graphical representations of mechanical equipment.
Discuss designs or plans with clients.
Create graphical representations of mechanical equipment.
Supervise engineering or other technical personnel.
Create graphical representations of mechanical equipment.
Create graphical representations of mechanical equipment.
Create images or other visual displays.
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent |
|---|---|---|---|
|
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100% | Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? | |
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98% | Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job? | |
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93% | Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? | |
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91% | Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? | |
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86% | Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? | |
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85% | Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting? | |
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83% | Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals? | |
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78% | Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job? | |
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72% | Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job? | |
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69% | Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? | |
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68% | Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? | |
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78% | Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Tasks & Values |
|---|---|---|---|
|
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93% | Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. | |
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93% | Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment - Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used. | |
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81% | Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. | |
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75% | Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. | |
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73% | Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. | |
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70% | Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. | |
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68% | Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. | |
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68% | Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. | |
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67% | Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. |
What Drafters Do
Drafters prepare technical drawings and plans.
Drafters use software to convert the designs of architects and engineers into technical drawings. Most workers specialize in architectural, civil, electrical, or mechanical drafting and use technical drawings to help design everything from microchips to skyscrapers.
Duties
Drafters typically do the following:
- Design plans using computer-aided design (CAD) software
- Work from rough sketches and specifications created by engineers and architects
- Design products with engineering and manufacturing techniques
- Add details to architectural plans from their knowledge of building techniques
- Specify dimensions, materials, and procedures for new products
- Work under the supervision of engineers or architects
Some drafters are referred to as CAD operators. Using CAD systems, drafters create and store technical drawings digitally. These drawings contain information on how to build a structure or machine, the dimensions of the project, and what materials are needed to complete the project.
Drafters work with CAD to create schematics that can be viewed, printed, or programmed directly into building information modeling (BIM) systems. These systems allow drafters, architects, construction managers, and engineers to create and collaborate on digital models of physical buildings and machines. Through three-dimensional rendering, BIM software allows designers and engineers to see how different elements in their projects work together.
The following are examples of types of drafters:
Architectural drafters draw structural features and details for buildings and other construction projects. These workers may specialize in a type of building, such as residential or commercial. They may also specialize by the materials used, such as steel, wood, or reinforced concrete.
Civil drafters prepare topographical maps used in construction and civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, and dams.
Electrical drafters prepare wiring diagrams that construction workers use to install and repair electrical equipment and wiring in power plants, electrical distribution systems, and residential and commercial buildings.
Electronics drafters produce wiring diagrams, assembly diagrams for circuit boards, and layout drawings used in manufacturing and in installing and repairing electronic devices and components.
Mechanical drafters prepare layouts that show the details for a variety of machinery and mechanical tools and devices, such as medical equipment. These layouts indicate dimensions, fastening methods, and other requirements for assembly. Mechanical drafters sometimes create production molds.
Work Environment
Drafters held about 197,300 jobs in 2022. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up drafters was distributed as follows:
| Architectural and civil drafters | 107,100 |
| Mechanical drafters | 49,600 |
| Electrical and electronics drafters | 21,800 |
| Drafters, all other | 18,700 |
The largest employers of drafters were as follows:
| Architectural, engineering, and related services | 49% |
| Manufacturing | 23 |
| Construction | 11 |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 3 |
Although drafters spend much of their time working on computers in an office, some may visit jobsites to collaborate with architects and engineers.
Work Schedules
Most drafters work full time. Some work more than 40 hours a week.
Getting Started
How to Become a Drafter
Drafters generally need to complete postsecondary education in drafting.
Drafters typically complete education after high school, often through a program at a community college or technical school. Some programs lead to an associate of applied science in drafting or a related degree. Others result in a certificate or diploma.
Education
Drafters typically need an associate of applied science in drafting or a related degree from a community college or technical school. Some drafters prepare for the occupation by earning a certificate or diploma.
Programs in drafting may include instruction in design fundamentals, sketching, and computer-aided design (CAD) software. It generally takes about 2 years of full-time education to earn an associate’s degree. Certificate and diploma programs vary in length but usually may be completed in less time.
Students frequently specialize in a particular type of drafting, such as mechanical or architectural drafting.
High school students may begin preparing by taking classes in mathematics, science, computer technology, design, computer graphics, and, where available, drafting.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
The American Design Drafting Association (ADDA) offers certification for drafters. Although not mandatory, certification demonstrates competence and knowledge of nationally recognized practices. Certifications are offered for several specialties, including architectural, civil, and mechanical drafting.
Job Outlook
Overall employment of drafters is projected to decline 2 percent from 2022 to 2032.
Despite declining employment, about 16,600 openings for drafters are projected each year, on average, over the decade. All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
Expected employment decreases will be driven by the use of computer-aided design (CAD) and building information modeling (BIM) technologies. These technologies increase drafter productivity and allow engineers and architects to perform many tasks that used to be done by drafters.
Contacts for More Information
For more information on schools offering programs in drafting and related fields, visit
Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges
For more information on certification, visit
American Design Drafting Association
Related BLS Articles
Career Outlook: "You're a what? CAD designer"
Similar Occupations
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of drafters.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Architects |
Architects plan and design houses, factories, office buildings, and other structures. |
Bachelor's degree | $82,840 |
|
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians |
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Associate's degree | $59,630 |
|
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians |
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Associate's degree | $66,390 |
|
Electrical and Electronics Engineers |
Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of electrical equipment. |
Bachelor's degree | $104,610 |
|
Industrial Designers |
Industrial designers combine art, business, and engineering to develop the concepts for manufactured products. |
Bachelor's degree | $75,910 |
|
Landscape Architects |
Landscape architects design parks and other outdoor spaces. |
Bachelor's degree | $73,210 |
|
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians |
Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians help mechanical engineers design, develop, test, and manufacture machines and other devices. |
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|
Mechanical Engineers |
Mechanical engineers design, develop, build, and test mechanical and thermal sensors and devices. |
Bachelor's degree | $96,310 |
|
Surveying and Mapping Technicians |
Surveying and mapping technicians collect data and make maps of the Earth's surface. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $47,180 |
|
Surveyors |
Surveyors make precise measurements to determine property boundaries. |
Bachelor's degree | $63,080 |