Civil Drafters: Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Job description

Civil Drafters 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.

• Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.
• Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes.
• Review rough sketches, drawings, specifications, and other engineering data received from civil engineers to ensure that they conform to design concepts.
• Draw maps, diagrams, and profiles, using cross-sections and surveys, to represent elevations, topographical contours, subsurface formations, and structures.

Salary

Civil Drafters with little to no experience tend to make between $35020 and $43660 while the more experienced ones can earn over $67120 per year.

One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as a Civil Drafter is to move to a higher paying state like DC. Right now, the highest paying states for Civil Drafters are DC, IL, MD, CT and CA.

However, a higher pay at DC doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at DC might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.

Three other factors that can increase your salary as a Civil Drafter is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.

Requirements

We asked other Civil Drafters what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had an Associate’s Degree followed by a College Certificate.

Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.

Pros and Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of being a Civil Drafter.

What is the job like

66% of Civil Drafters said they were satisfied with their job and 48% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.

Is this right for me

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

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