How to become an Electrical and Electronics Drafter

Official title: Electrical and Electronics Drafters

Also called: Computer-Aided Design Operator, Designer, Drafter, Drafting Technician (Drafting Tech), Electrical Designer, Electrical Drafter, Layout Designer, Printed Circuit Board Designer (PCB Designer), Staking Engineer, Staking Technician (Staking Tech)

Prepare wiring diagrams, circuit board assembly diagrams, and layout drawings used for the manufacture, installation, or repair of electrical equipment.

Main tasks

• 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.
• Confer with engineering staff and other personnel to resolve problems.
• Measure factors that affect installation and arrangement of equipment, such as distances to be spanned by wire and cable.
• Design electrical systems, such as lighting systems.

How to become one

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.

Typical education to start: Associate's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Drafter, Electrical.
• Apprenticeship: Drafter, Electronic.
• Apprenticeship: Estimator and Drafter.
• Certificate or associate's degree: Associate's degree. Programs such as Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician; Integrated Circuit Design Technology/Technician; Electromechanical/Electromechanical Engineering Technology/Technician

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $76,870 a year The middle half earn $61,430 to $96,730.
• About 18,900 people work in this job now, and about 18,200 are projected by 2035. (-3.4%)
• People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Related jobs

• Architectural and Civil Drafters
• Mechanical Drafters
• Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians
• Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians
• Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians

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Questions people ask

How do I 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.

How much does an Electrical and Electronics Drafter earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $76,870 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $61,430 to $96,730.

Is an Electrical and Electronics Drafter a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 3% by 2035, from about 18,900 to about 18,200 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Electrical and Electronics Drafter?

Not always. 27% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Associate's degree; Drafter, Electrical.

Will AI change the work of an Electrical and Electronics Drafter?

People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.