Draftsman job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

15

O*NET task statements

O*NET occupation

Architectural and Civil Drafters

O*NET-SOC 17-3011.00

Preparation

Job Zone 3 of 5

medium preparation

Typical entry education

Associate's degree

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$66,150

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Architectural and Civil Drafters (O*NET-SOC 17-3011.00). O*NET 31.0 lists “Draftsman” as a job title for this occupation only (evidence: O*NET's Sample of Reported Titles (titles job holders report), O*NET job-incumbent data and employer job postings). Figures on this page are for that occupation. TryHired has no separate career page for this title yet.

1. Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices. importance 4.5 of 5
2. Analyze building codes, by-laws, space and site requirements, and other technical documents and reports to determine their effect on architectural designs. importance 4.1 of 5
3. Draw rough and detailed scale plans for foundations, buildings, and structures, based on preliminary concepts, sketches, engineering calculations, specification sheets, and other data. importance 4.1 of 5
4. Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans. importance 4.1 of 5
5. Explain drawings to production or construction teams and provide adjustments as necessary. importance 4.0 of 5
6. Obtain and assemble data to complete architectural designs, visiting job sites to compile measurements as necessary. importance 3.9 of 5
7. Lay out and plan interior room arrangements for commercial buildings, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment and software. importance 3.8 of 5
8. Represent architect or engineer on construction site, ensuring builder compliance with design specifications and advising on design corrections, under supervision. importance 3.8 of 5
9. Review rough sketches, drawings, specifications, and other engineering data to ensure that they conform to design concepts. importance 3.8 of 5
10. Draw maps, diagrams, and profiles, using cross-sections and surveys, to represent elevations, topographical contours, subsurface formations, and structures. importance 3.7 of 5
11. Determine the order of work and method of presentation, such as orthographic or isometric drawing. importance 3.5 of 5
12. Finish and duplicate drawings and documentation packages according to required mediums and specifications for reproduction, using blueprinting, photography, or other duplicating methods. importance 3.4 of 5
13. Supervise or conduct field surveys, inspections, or technical investigations to obtain data required to revise construction drawings. importance 3.3 of 5
14. Supervise and train other technologists, technicians, and drafters. importance 3.3 of 5
15. Correlate, interpret, and modify data obtained from topographical surveys, well logs, and geophysical prospecting reports. importance 3.1 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Working with Computers, Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment, Communicating with People Outside the Organization, Getting Information and Making Decisions and Solving Problems.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes.
• Prepare cost estimates, contracts, bidding documents, and technical reports for specific projects under an architect's or engineer's supervision.
• Determine procedures and instructions to be followed, according to design specifications and quantity of required materials.
• Determine quality, cost, strength, and quantity of required materials, and enter figures on materials lists.
• Create freehand drawings and lettering to accompany drawings.
• Check dimensions of materials to be used and assign numbers to lists of materials.

Knowledge areas: Design, Building and Construction, Engineering and Technology, Computers and Electronics and English Language.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Autodesk AutoCAD, Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D, Autodesk Revit. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists no work experience in a related occupation as typical to enter.
• Training on the job: BLS lists no typical on-the-job training once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 3 of 5 (medium preparation). Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board.

The most common answer among draftsmen surveyed by O*NET is a bachelor's degree (42%).

Job title: Draftsman
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring a Draftsman to prepare detailed drawings of architectural and structural features of buildings or drawings and topographical relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, and public works.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.
- Analyze building codes, by-laws, space and site requirements, and other technical documents and reports to determine their effect on architectural designs.
- Draw rough and detailed scale plans for foundations, buildings, and structures, based on preliminary concepts, sketches, engineering calculations, specification sheets, and other data.
- Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans.
- Explain drawings to production or construction teams and provide adjustments as necessary.
- Obtain and assemble data to complete architectural designs, visiting job sites to compile measurements as necessary.
- Lay out and plan interior room arrangements for commercial buildings, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment and software.
- Represent architect or engineer on construction site, ensuring builder compliance with design specifications and advising on design corrections, under supervision.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists an associate's degree as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists no related work experience as typical to enter; set what this role needs]
- Strength in reading comprehension, critical thinking and active listening
- Working knowledge of Design and Building and Construction
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Adobe Creative Cloud software or Adobe Illustrator]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

For Architectural and Civil Drafters, the median annual wage was $66,150 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $31.80. BLS estimates about 103,700 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of Architectural and Civil Drafters to grow 5.2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 9,100 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

• Read a real draftsman posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only draftsman work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (reading comprehension and critical thinking): a real situation, what you did and what changed.