Drafting work has many
specialties:
Aeronautical
drafters prepare engineering drawings detailing plans and specifications
used in the manufacture of aircraft, missiles, and related parts.
Architectural
drafters draw architectural and structural features of buildings
and other structures. These workers may specialize in a type of structure,
such as residential or commercial, or in a kind of material used, such
as reinforced concrete, masonry, steel, or timber.
Civil drafters prepare
drawings and topographical and relief maps used in major construction or
civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, pipelines, flood
control projects, and water and sewage systems.
Mechanical drafters prepare
drawings showing the detail and assembly of a wide variety of machinery
and mechanical devices, indicating dimensions, fastening methods, and other
requirements.
Process piping
or pipeline drafters prepare drawings used in the layout, construction,
and operation of oil and gas fields, refineries, chemical plants, and
process piping systems.
Earnings Drafters’ earnings
vary by specialty, location, and level of responsibility. Median annual
earnings of architectural and civil drafters were $41,960. The middle 50
percent earned between $33,550 and $52,220. The lowest 10 percent earned
less than $27,010, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $63,310.
Median annual earnings of mechanical drafters were $43,700. The middle 50 percent
earned between $34,680 and $55,130. The lowest 10 percent earned less than
$28,230, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $67,860.
