Career
Electrical and electronics drafters
Draw the wiring and circuit plans for electrical systems.
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Draft detail and assembly drawings of design components, circuitry or printed circuit boards, using computer-assisted equipment or standard drafting techniques and devices.
- 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.
- Review completed construction drawings and cost estimates for accuracy and conformity to standards and regulations.
- Consult with engineers to discuss or interpret design concepts, or determine requirements of detailed working drawings.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then information & systems?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Draft detail and assembly drawings of design components, circuitry or printed circuit boards, using computer-assisted equipment or standard drafting techniques and devices.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Active Listening, Writing, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
2 years of education after high school (associate's degree), for a median of $76,870 a year and 1,400 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/TechnicianCIP 15.0303
- Integrated Circuit Design Technology/TechnicianCIP 15.0306
- Electromechanical/Electromechanical Engineering Technology/TechnicianCIP 15.0403
- Drafting and Design Technology/Technician, GeneralCIP 15.1301
- CAD/CADD Drafting and/or Design Technology/TechnicianCIP 15.1302
- Electrical/Electronics Drafting and Electrical/Electronics CAD/CADDCIP 15.1305
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Mechanical Drafters$71,550 · -6.0%
- Architectural and Civil Drafters$66,150 · +5.2%
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$78,190 · +2.4%
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$130,220 · +3.7%
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,510 · +1.3%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.