The median pay for Electrical and Electronics Drafters is $76,870 a year ($36.96/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to fall 3.4% through 2035, with about 1,400 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.
- SOC 17-3012
- Architecture and Engineering
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Electrical and Electronics Drafter in four numbers
- Median pay
- $76,870a year, or $36.96/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $50KTop 10% $120K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -3.4%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−3.4%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −3.4% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,40018,900 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202518.9K
- Projected 203518.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 18.9K Projected 2035 18.2K - Typical education
- Associate'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school6.1%
- Certificate21.1%
- Some college6.7%
- Associate's23.6%
- Bachelor's40.1%
- Master's2.5%
Highest education held by electrical and electronics drafters Segment Value High school 6.1% Certificate 21.1% Some college 6.7% Associate's 23.6% Bachelor's 40.1% Master's 2.5%
Also advertised as: Computer-Aided Design Operator, Designer, Drafter, Drafting Technician (Drafting Tech), Electrical Designer, Electrical Drafter.
Pay
How much do Electrical and Electronics Drafters make?
Every electrical and electronics drafter in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$76,870
Middle half earn $61,430 to $96,730
- 10th
- $50,040
- 25th
- $61,430
- 75th
- $96,730
- 90th
- $120,290
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $50,040 |
| 25th | $61,430 |
| Median | $76,870 |
| 75th | $96,730 |
| 90th | $120,290 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $76,870
- Median hourly wage
- $36.96/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $81,280
- People employed
- 17,920
Versus all US occupations
At $76,870, Electrical and Electronics Drafters earn 51% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $25,890 a year.
Versus architecture and engineering occupations
Inside the Architecture and Engineering group, where the middle occupation pays $104,110, this is 26% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $120,290 or more while the bottom 10% earn $50,040, a gap of 2.4×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 53% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
New Hampshire posts the highest raw median ($102,070), but once local prices are taken into account New Mexico leads at $109,888 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Electrical and Electronics Drafters the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New Hampshire | $102,070 | $97,989 | 220 |
| 2New Mexico | $101,330 | $109,888 | 390 |
| 3Massachusetts | $87,290 | $82,538 | 470 |
| 4North Carolina | $81,960 | $86,890 | 430 |
| 5Idaho | $81,590 | $85,440 | 100 |
| 6Ohio | $80,840 | $87,136 | 510 |
| 7Georgia | $80,620 | $83,724 | 470 |
| 8Texas | $80,620 | $83,065 | 1,840 |
| 9Indiana | $80,100 | $85,825 | 360 |
| 10Utah | $79,360 | $80,272 | 290 |
Job outlook
Is Electrical and Electronics Drafter a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -3.4% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Electrical and Electronics Drafters | −3.4% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Electrical and Electronics Drafters to change -3.4% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 600 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,400 openings are projected each year, 7.4% of the 18,900 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of drafters is projected to show little or no change from 2025 to 2035.
Despite limited employment growth, about 14,400 openings for drafters are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of drafters varies by occupation (see table).
Getting in
How to become an Electrical and Electronics Drafter
Drafters typically complete education after high school, often through a program at a community college or technical school. Some programs lead to an associate of applied science in drafting or a related degree. Others result in a certificate or diploma.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Associate's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as electrical and electronics drafters.
- Bachelor's Degree40.1%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree23.6%
- Post-Secondary Certificate21.1%
- Some College Courses6.7%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)6.1%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 40.1% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 23.6% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 21.1% |
| Some College Courses | 6.7% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 6.1% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Electrical and Electronics Drafter do?
Prepare wiring diagrams, circuit board assembly diagrams, and layout drawings used for the manufacture, installation, or repair of electrical equipment.
Drafters use software to convert the designs of architects and engineers into technical drawings. Most workers specialize in architectural, civil, electrical, or mechanical drafting and use technical drawings to help design everything from microchips to skyscrapers.
Day-to-day tasks
- Consult with engineers to discuss or interpret design concepts, or determine requirements of detailed working drawings.
- Draft working drawings, wiring diagrams, wiring connection specifications, or cross-sections of underground cables, as required for instructions to installation crew.
- Assemble documentation packages and produce drawing sets to be checked by an engineer or an architect.
- Confer with engineering staff and other personnel to resolve problems.
- Review work orders or procedural manuals and confer with vendors or design staff to resolve problems or modify design.
- Draft detail and assembly drawings of design components, circuitry or printed circuit boards, using computer-assisted equipment or standard drafting techniques and devices.
- Draw master sketches to scale showing relation of proposed installations to existing facilities and exact specifications and dimensions.
- Examine electronic schematics and supporting documents to develop, compute, and verify specifications for drafting data, such as configuration of parts, dimensions, or tolerances.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most drafters work full time. Some work more than 40 hours a week.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.6
- Writing3.5
- Critical Thinking3.5
- Reading Comprehension3.4
- Speaking3.3
- Active Learning3.3
- Monitoring3.0
- Mathematics2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.6 |
| Writing | 3.5 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.5 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.4 |
| Speaking | 3.3 |
| Active Learning | 3.3 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Mathematics | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.5
- Complex Problem Solving3.4
- Time Management3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Social Perceptiveness2.9
- Quality Control Analysis2.9
- Systems Analysis2.9
- Systems Evaluation2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.5 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.4 |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.9 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.9 |
| Systems Analysis | 2.9 |
| Systems Evaluation | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Electrical and Electronics Drafter?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Electrical and Electronics Drafter |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic5.6
- Conventional5.5
- Investigative3.4
- Artistic3.1
- Enterprising1.9
- Social1.3
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Electrical and Electronics Drafter
O*NET related occupations
- Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologist and Technician
$78,190median a year
Most earn $50K to $116K
+2.4%Associate's - Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
Mechanical Engineering Technologist and Technician
$74,510median a year
Most earn $48K to $106K
+1.3%Associate's - Architecture and Engineering
More architecture and engineering careers
Median annual pay, with electrical and electronics drafters highlighted
- Aerospace Engineer$134,960
- Electrical Engineer$120,630
- Environmental Engineer$107,110
- Mechanical Engineer$104,110
- Automotive Engineer$104,110
- Industrial Engineer$102,440
- Civil Engineer$100,840
- Architect$99,280
- Electrical and Electronics Drafter$76,870
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,960 |
| Electrical Engineer | $120,630 |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $104,110 |
| Automotive Engineer | $104,110 |
| Industrial Engineer | $102,440 |
| Civil Engineer | $100,840 |
| Architect | $99,280 |
| Electrical and Electronics Drafter | $76,870 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Electrical and Electronics Drafter appears on
Questions
Electrical and Electronics Drafter: frequently asked questions
How much do Electrical and Electronics Drafters make?
Electrical and Electronics Drafters earn a median of $76,870 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 51% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $36.96/hr. The middle half earn between $61,430 and $96,730. The top 10% earn $120,290 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Electrical and Electronics Drafter?
Usually a two-year degree rather than a four-year one. BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry-level education for Electrical and Electronics Drafters. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 40.1% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Electrical and Electronics Drafter a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 3.4% over 2025–2035, a loss of 600 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,400 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Electrical and Electronics Drafter do?
Drafters use software to convert the designs of architects and engineers into technical drawings. A core O*NET task: consult with engineers to discuss or interpret design concepts, or determine requirements of detailed working drawings. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Electrical and Electronics Drafters the most?
The highest state medians for Electrical and Electronics Drafters are New Hampshire ($102,070), New Mexico ($101,330), Massachusetts ($87,290) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, New Mexico moves to the top at $109,888.
What personality type suits an Electrical and Electronics Drafter?
O*NET scores Electrical and Electronics Drafters highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.