Architectural and Civil Drafters
Prepare detailed drawings of architectural and structural features of buildings or drawings and topographical relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, and public works. Use knowledge of building materials, engineering practices, and mathematics to complete drawings.
103,700 people do this job in the US. $66,150 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 87%
- 3%
- 9%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 14%. Today's estimate: 22%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 26 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 15% | 3.3 h1.7 h to 1.7 work days | 32%Half by Jan 2027 | |
| Draw rough and detailed scale plans for foundations, buildings, and structures, based on preliminary concepts, sketches, engineering calculations, specification sheets, and other data.Done daily by most who do it. | 15% | 6.7 h2.5 h to 2.5 work days | 9%Half by Jul 2027 | |
| Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 15% | 1 work day3.3 h to 3.1 work days | 6%Half by Sep 2027 | |
| Lay out and plan interior room arrangements for commercial buildings, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment and software.Done daily by most who do it. | 10% | 5 h1.7 h to 2.1 work days | 15%Half by Jun 2027 | |
| Draw maps, diagrams, and profiles, using cross-sections and surveys, to represent elevations, topographical contours, subsurface formations, and structures.Done daily by most who do it. | 10% | 5 h1.7 h to 1.3 work days | 19%Half by Mar 2027 | |
| Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans.Done daily by most who do it. | 7% | 5 h1.7 h to 1.7 work days | 17%Half by Apr 2027 | |
| Obtain and assemble data to complete architectural designs, visiting job sites to compile measurements as necessary.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 5% | 3.3 h1.7 h to 1 work day | Stays with people | |
| Review rough sketches, drawings, specifications, and other engineering data to ensure that they conform to design concepts.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 3% | 1.7 h38 min to 4.2 h | 72%Half by now | |
| Supervise and train other technologists, technicians, and drafters.Done yearly or less by most who do it. | 3% | 2.5 h50 min to 6.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Explain drawings to production or construction teams and provide adjustments as necessary.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 2% | 1.3 h25 min to 2.5 h | 87%Half by now | |
| Analyze building codes, by-laws, space and site requirements, and other technical documents and reports to determine their effect on architectural designs.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 2% | 1.7 h50 min to 5 h | 76%Half by now | |
| Represent architect or engineer on construction site, ensuring builder compliance with design specifications and advising on design corrections, under supervision.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 2% | 5 h1.7 h to 1.7 work days | Stays with people |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
- Mechanical Drafters24% now, 95% by 2028
- Electrical and Electronics Drafters38% now, 83% by 2028
- Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians21% now, 76% by 2028
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians16% now, 49% by 2028
- Architectural and Engineering Managers12% now, 69% by 2028
- Civil Engineers5% now, 52% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).