Architectural and civil drafters
SOC Code: 17-3011
Architectural and civil drafters carries a 55% AI exposure score (High automation risk), with a median annual wage of $64,280 and +4.1% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 110,500 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 55% AI exposure, Architectural and civil drafters sits 18 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 91% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
48/100
Architectural and civil drafters, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage C+ $64,280
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth B- +4.1%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 55% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Architectural and civil drafters in the High band.
Credential × growth standing
Associate / award entry with a named growth shelf
Entry credential Associate / award covers 99 of 832 occupations; BLS places this one in Average (378/832). Mid-credential standing - thicker than graduate shelves, thinner than HS-dominated mass.
Where Architectural and civil drafters sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Architectural and civil drafters sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
55% Higher than most higher than 91% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Architectural and civil drafters vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Architectural and civil drafters is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Architectural and civil drafters's High automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score in the 40–70% range indicates meaningful automation pressure on specific task categories, but the role as a whole still requires human judgment for coordination, exception handling, or client interaction.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 17-3011) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Architectural and civil drafters be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Architectural and civil drafters. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.
- 2. Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes.
- 3. Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans.
- 4. Analyze building codes, by-laws, space and site requirements, and other technical documents and reports to determine their effect on architectural designs.
- 5. Draw maps, diagrams, and profiles, using cross-sections and surveys, to represent elevations, topographical contours, subsurface formations, and structures.
- 6. Lay out and plan interior room arrangements for commercial buildings, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment and software.
- 7. Supervise and train other technologists, technicians, and drafters.
- 8. Determine the order of work and method of presentation, such as orthographic or isometric drawing.
- 9. Finish and duplicate drawings and documentation packages according to required mediums and specifications for reproduction, using blueprinting, photography, or other duplicating methods.
- 10. Draw rough and detailed scale plans for foundations, buildings, and structures, based on preliminary concepts, sketches, engineering calculations, specification sheets, and other data.
Key Skills Required
- Reading Comprehension
- Complex Problem Solving
- Systems Analysis
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Active Listening
- Mathematics
- Monitoring
- Time Management
Knowledge Areas
- Design
- Building and Construction
- Engineering and Technology
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- Public Safety and Security
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- Geography
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Architectural and civil drafters?
Architectural and civil drafters has an AI exposure score of 55%, indicating a high level of automation risk. Some tasks in this role can be augmented or partially automated by AI, but core responsibilities require human judgment.
What is the job outlook for Architectural and civil drafters?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Architectural and civil drafters is projected to grow by 4.1% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 110,500 workers.
What skills are needed for Architectural and civil drafters?
Key skills for Architectural and civil drafters include Reading Comprehension, Complex Problem Solving, Systems Analysis, and others. Typical entry-level education is Associate's degree.
How much do Architectural and civil drafters earn?
The median annual wage for Architectural and civil drafters is $64,280, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Architectural and civil drafters?
The typical entry-level education for Architectural and civil drafters is Associate's degree. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves None. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Architectural and civil drafters?
Architectural and civil drafters roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
High automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. A moderate share of tasks may be augmented by AI tools.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Architectural and civil drafters: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (55% here).
- Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators · AI exposure 55%
- Air traffic controllers · AI exposure 56%
- Credit analysts · AI exposure 56%
- Customer service representatives · AI exposure 56%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+4.1% here).
- Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondary · growth +4.1%
- Barbers · growth +4.1%
- Cardiologists · growth +4.1%
- Dentists, general · growth +4.1%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 15 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Architectural and civil drafters' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Architectural and civil drafters side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).