Electrical and electronics drafters
SOC Code: 17-3012
Electrical and electronics drafters carries a 58% AI exposure score (High automation risk), with a median annual wage of $73,720 and -5.6% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 21,600 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 58% AI exposure, Electrical and electronics drafters sits 21 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 93% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
31/100
Electrical and electronics 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 B $73,720
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth F -5.6%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 58% 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 Electrical and electronics 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 Declining (111/832). Mid-credential standing - thicker than graduate shelves, thinner than HS-dominated mass.
Where Electrical and electronics 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 Electrical and electronics drafters sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
58% Higher than most higher than 93% 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.
Electrical and electronics drafters vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Electrical and electronics 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
Electrical and electronics 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 17-3012) 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 Electrical and electronics 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 Electrical and electronics drafters. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Registered Apprenticeship Pathway Available
Electrical and electronics drafters is a recognized registered apprenticeship occupation under the DOL RAPIDS system. Earn while you train, apprentices typically start at ~$16/hr and reach $28–$46/hr upon completion, depending on the specific trade and region.
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Draft detail and assembly drawings of design components, circuitry or printed circuit boards, using computer-assisted equipment or standard drafting techniques and devices.
- 2. Draft working drawings, wiring diagrams, wiring connection specifications, or cross-sections of underground cables, as required for instructions to installation crew.
- 3. Assemble documentation packages and produce drawing sets to be checked by an engineer or an architect.
- 4. Review completed construction drawings and cost estimates for accuracy and conformity to standards and regulations.
- 5. Consult with engineers to discuss or interpret design concepts, or determine requirements of detailed working drawings.
- 6. Confer with engineering staff and other personnel to resolve problems.
- 7. Measure factors that affect installation and arrangement of equipment, such as distances to be spanned by wire and cable.
- 8. Design electrical systems, such as lighting systems.
- 9. Draw master sketches to scale showing relation of proposed installations to existing facilities and exact specifications and dimensions.
- 10. Review work orders or procedural manuals and confer with vendors or design staff to resolve problems or modify design.
Key Skills Required
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Reading Comprehension
- Complex Problem Solving
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Time Management
- Monitoring
Knowledge Areas
- Design
- Engineering and Technology
- Computers and Electronics
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Administrative
- Education and Training
- Public Safety and Security
- Geography
- Administration and Management
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Electrical and electronics drafters?
Electrical and electronics drafters has an AI exposure score of 58%, 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 Electrical and electronics drafters?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Electrical and electronics drafters is projected to decline by 5.6% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 21,600 workers.
What skills are needed for Electrical and electronics drafters?
Key skills for Electrical and electronics drafters include Active Listening, Writing, Critical Thinking, and others. Typical entry-level education is Associate's degree.
How much do Electrical and electronics drafters earn?
The median annual wage for Electrical and electronics drafters is $73,720, 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 Electrical and electronics drafters?
The typical entry-level education for Electrical and electronics 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 Electrical and electronics drafters?
Electrical and electronics 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 Electrical and electronics 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 (58% here).
- Surveyors · AI exposure 58%
- Cargo and freight agents · AI exposure 60%
- Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks · AI exposure 60%
- Data entry keyers · AI exposure 60%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (-5.6% here).
- Cooks, short order · growth -5.6%
- Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys · growth -5.5%
- Customer service representatives · growth -5.5%
- Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers · growth -5.5%
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 Electrical and electronics drafters' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Electrical and electronics 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).