All About Civil Drafters

Civil Drafter Job Description Prepare drawings and topographical and relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, pipelines, flood control projects, and water and sewerage control systems.

What do Civil Drafters do On a Daily Basis?

• Calculate excavation tonnage and prepare graphs and fill-hauling diagrams for use in earth-moving operations.
• Draw maps, diagrams, and profiles, using cross-sections and surveys, to represent elevations, topographical contours, subsurface formations, and structures.
• Supervise and train other technologists, technicians, and drafters.
• Supervise or conduct field surveys, inspections, or technical investigations to obtain data required to revise construction drawings.
• Calculate weights, volumes, and stress factors and their implications for technical aspects of designs.
• Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.

Civil Drafter Needed Skills

These are the skills Civil Drafters say are the most useful in their careers:

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.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Related Job Titles

• Structural Drafter
• Draftsman
• Computer-Aided Design Designer (CAD Designer)
• Computer-Aided Drafting Designer (CAD Designer)
• Steel Detailer

Job Opportunities for Civil Drafters

In the United States, there were 99,600 jobs for Architectural and Civil Drafters in 2016.

New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8.1% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 8,100 new jobs for Civil Drafters by 2026. There will be an estimated 9,500 positions for Civil Drafter per year.

The states with the most job growth for Architectural and Civil Drafters are Texas, California, and Florida.

Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Wyoming, or West Virginia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

What is the Average Salary of a Civil Drafter

The average yearly salary of a Civil Drafter ranges between $35,020 and $80,880. The median salary for this occupation is $54,920.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for jobs of this type in different U.S. states.

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
District of Columbia	$68,330
Illinois	$64,720
Maryland	$64,560
Connecticut	$64,390
California	$63,320
Alaska	$60,200
New York	$59,770
Massachusetts	$59,740
Colorado	$59,560
New Jersey	$58,840
Arizona	$58,700
Oregon	$58,480
Rhode Island	$58,190
Washington	$58,170
Georgia	$57,280
North Dakota	$57,230
Louisiana	$56,390
West Virginia	$56,320
Texas	$56,120
Iowa	$55,490
Missouri	$55,000
Oklahoma	$54,840
Hawaii	$54,520
Virginia	$54,390
Tennessee	$54,360
Minnesota	$54,300
Indiana	$54,080
Ohio	$53,720
New Hampshire	$53,540
Wisconsin	$53,450
Florida	$53,270
North Carolina	$53,160
Wyoming	$53,050
Delaware	$52,830
Alabama	$52,740
Pennsylvania	$52,320
South Carolina	$51,820
Michigan	$51,760
Utah	$51,640
Maine	$51,380
Kentucky	$51,330
New Mexico	$51,200
Kansas	$50,500
Nebraska	$50,270
Nevada	$49,510
Mississippi	$48,980
Idaho	$48,710
Montana	$46,020
Arkansas	$45,500
Vermont	$45,310
South Dakota	$43,090

What Tools & Technology do Civil Drafters Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Civil Drafters may use on a daily basis:

• Extensible markup language XML
• ESRI ArcGIS software
• PTC Creo Parametric
• Autodesk Land Desktop
• Piping and instrumentation design PID software
• Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
• Microsoft Visio
• Microsoft Word
• Autodesk AutoCAD
• ENERCALC FastFrame

Where Civil Drafters Work

Other Jobs You May be Interested In

Those thinking about becoming Civil Drafters might also be interested in the following careers:

• Geophysical Data Technicians

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons