Architectural Drafter Career Guide

Architectural Drafter

M-34

M Other Engineering jobs · Skilled level · O*NET 17-3011.00

Texas median whole occupation, 2025: $63,320
work over 40 h a week: 26%
load index from O*NET data: 1.4/5
Texas jobs 2024 to 2034: +15.1%

Pay

This level's pay

No published pay record names this level: only 1 filing(s) with this job title; at least 5 are needed. The occupation-wide figure below is for all experience levels.

All pay records and context (2)

DOL prevailing-wage levels I-IV for the whole occupation (wage tiers set by DOL, not job titles or seniority): Level I $62,500 · Level II $60,000 · Level III $67,400 · Level IV $80,361 (13 filings, TX) Base wages offered on H-1B/E-3 Labor Condition Applications (TX and AZ, FY2026 Q1-Q3); covers only employers who filed. source
DOL prevailing-wage levels I-IV for the whole occupation (wage tiers set by DOL, not job titles or seniority): Level I $58,000 · Level II $67,000 · Level III $66,718 · Level IV $75,275 (7 filings, AZ) Base wages offered on H-1B/E-3 Labor Condition Applications (TX and AZ, FY2026 Q1-Q3); covers only employers who filed. source

Whole occupation: all Architectural and Civil Drafters, Texas
BLS OEWS May 2025
Series OEUS480000000000017301113 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
Based on an estimated 11,710 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000017301101).

Half of all Architectural and Civil Drafters in Texas earn more than $63,320; the bottom 10% earned less than $44,950 and the top 10% more than $100,350 (May 2025, base pay, about 11,710 jobs). U.S. median $66,150.

Outlook 2024 to 2034, all Architectural and Civil Drafters, not level-specific
TWC, BLS
Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03

Texas: +15.1% jobs · about 1,390 openings a year (13,130 jobs in 2024)
United States: +4.2% jobs · about 10,000 openings a year (110,500 jobs in 2024)

Openings include people retiring or changing jobs, not only growth.

Hours
ONET 31.0
Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), ONET Work Context, data 08/2026, n = 20 respondents, O*NET OnLine

About 1 in 4 work more than 40 hours a week (26%).

Schedule: regular 94% · irregular 6% · seasonal 0%

Physical load 1.4 of 5, our index from ONET
Method
Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (1.36, 6 measures) and an exposure index (1.36, 7 measures), built from ONET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
O*NET OnLine

Body

Standing1.96
Walking or running1.51
Kneeling or crawling1.28
Climbing ladders1.24
Bending or twisting1.14
Keeping balance1.06

Exposure

Outdoors, all weather1.96
High places1.64
Very hot or cold1.41
Hazardous conditions1.21
Hazardous equipment1.2
Cramped space1.11
Protective gear1

Body 1.36 · exposure 1.36. O*NET Work Context means, 1 = never, 5 = continually or every day.

Getting in

License: No license for this job title at the 8 Texas and federal licensing agencies read on 2026-10-03 (TDLR, TSBPE, TCEQ, TCFP, TEA, TBPELS, NRC and EPA).
Degree: 62% hold a bachelor's or higher; most common: Bachelor's Degree
Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years of related experience is the most common answer (25% of workers).
O*NET
O*NET Related Work Experience, Architectural and Civil Drafters, O*NET OnLine
Preparation: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Why this level: Skilled: O*NET Job Zone 3 (1-2 start, 3-4 skilled, 5 senior).

Moves to the side 6

I1 Facilities Engineering Manager O*NET lists Architectural and Engineering Managers as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.90.
M Electrical Drafter O*NET lists Electrical and Electronics Drafters as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.86.
M Civil Engineering Technician O*NET lists Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.86.
M Mechanical Design Drafter O*NET lists Mechanical Drafters as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.77.

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What the work is 6 core tasks

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. Use knowledge of building materials, engineering practices, and mathematics to complete drawings.

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.

Core tasks ranked by O*NET task Importance (IM, 1-5), top 6.

Top skills

Reading Comprehension
Critical Thinking
Active Listening
Judgment and Decision Making
Coordination
Monitoring
Speaking
Writing

Sources (4)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, Texas, series OEUS480000000000017301113, read 2026-10-03
Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), 17-3011.00 Architectural and Civil Drafters, read 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Engineer Tsai has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 · O*NET license

Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Base pay; excludes overtime. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (United States) and Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections 2024-2034, read through Projections Central.

Architectural Drafter