What is an Electronic Drafter?
Job Description: Draw wiring diagrams, circuit board assembly diagrams, schematics, and layout drawings used for manufacture, installation, and repair of electronic equipment.
Electronic Drafter Responsibilities
- Review work orders or procedural manuals and confer with vendors or design staff to resolve problems or modify design.
- Train students to use drafting machines and to prepare schematic diagrams, block diagrams, control drawings, logic diagrams, integrated circuit drawings, or interconnection diagrams.
- Generate computer tapes of final layout design to produce layered photo masks or photo plotting design onto film.
- Examine electronic schematics and supporting documents to develop, compute, and verify specifications for drafting data, such as configuration of parts, dimensions, or tolerances.
- Supervise and coordinate work activities of workers engaged in drafting, designing layouts, assembling, or testing printed circuit boards.
- Select drill size to drill test head, according to test design and specifications, and submit guide layout to designated department.
Featured schools near , edit
Things an Electronic Drafter Should Know How to Do
Electronic Drafters state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Types of Electronic Drafter Jobs
- Printed Circuit Board Drafter
- AutoCAD Designer
- Drafting Technician
- Mask Layout Designer
- CADD Drafter (Computer-Aided Design and Drafting Drafter)
Electronic Drafter Employment Estimates
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 27,400 jobs in the United States for Electronic Drafter. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,900 new jobs for Electronic Drafter by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 2,600 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Electronic Drafter are Nevada, Colorado, and Vermont. Watch out if you plan on working in Washington, Wyoming, or South Dakota. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Electronic Drafter Salary
The average yearly salary of an Electronic Drafter ranges between $36,660 and $99,240.

Electronic Drafters who work in District of Columbia, Washington, or Vermont, make the highest salaries.
How much do Electronic Drafters make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $55,550 |
Alaska | $67,360 |
Arizona | $63,790 |
Arkansas | $60,730 |
California | $76,420 |
Colorado | $60,430 |
Connecticut | $58,250 |
Delaware | $65,480 |
District of Columbia | $87,870 |
Florida | $55,390 |
Georgia | $54,220 |
Hawaii | $63,020 |
Idaho | $44,760 |
Illinois | $68,930 |
Indiana | $57,980 |
Iowa | $61,380 |
Kansas | $45,910 |
Kentucky | $58,200 |
Louisiana | $68,510 |
Maine | $58,190 |
Maryland | $61,750 |
Massachusetts | $63,880 |
Michigan | $47,620 |
Minnesota | $63,870 |
Mississippi | $60,340 |
Missouri | $61,420 |
Montana | $51,960 |
Nebraska | $56,520 |
Nevada | $57,850 |
New Hampshire | $65,740 |
New Jersey | $69,950 |
New Mexico | $74,870 |
New York | $69,500 |
North Carolina | $47,690 |
North Dakota | $62,400 |
Ohio | $59,680 |
Oklahoma | $64,650 |
Oregon | $70,700 |
Pennsylvania | $63,170 |
South Carolina | $63,210 |
Tennessee | $63,600 |
Texas | $60,760 |
Utah | $61,660 |
Vermont | $77,590 |
Virginia | $61,160 |
Washington | $88,120 |
West Virginia | $63,740 |
Wisconsin | $54,720 |
Wyoming | $57,530 |
What Tools do Electronic Drafters Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Electronic Drafters:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Project
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- The MathWorks MATLAB
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- PTC Creo Parametric
- IBM Lotus Notes
- Verilog
- Computer aided design and drafting software CADD
- 1CadCam Unigraphics
- Cadence PSpice
- UGS Solid Edge
- Sage ERP Accpac
- SofTech CADRA
- Mentor Graphics PADS
- Manufacturing resource planning MRP software
- PTC Pro/INTRALINK
Becoming an Electronic Drafter
Are there Electronic Drafters education requirements?

What work experience do I need to become an Electronic Drafter?

Where Electronic Drafters Are Employed

The table below shows the approximate number of Electronic Drafters employed by various industries.

References:
Image Credit: Pixabay via CC0 License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
![]() |
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |