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Studies & Degrees in Computer Aided Drafting

Computer aided drafting (CAD) is the production of technical drawings and digital models with specialised software. Drafters use software to convert the designs of architects and engineers into technical drawings that show how to build a structure or a machine, its dimensions and the materials it needs. The subject is practical: students spend most of their time drawing, modelling and checking plans against industry standards.

A typical programme teaches design fundamentals, sketching and CAD software, then moves on to complete drawing sets. Chemeketa Community College in the United States, for example, says its students learn to create accurate 2D and 3D drawings with CAD software and to make architectural, structural, civil and mechanical drawing sets. Many courses now also cover building information modelling (BIM), in which drafters, architects, construction managers and engineers work together on a digital model of a building.

Qualifications and levels

CAD is mainly taught at vocational and short-cycle level, and as a skill inside longer engineering, architecture and design degrees.

  • Associate degrees, certificates and diplomas. In the United States, drafters typically need an associate of applied science in drafting or a related degree from a community college or technical school, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). An associate degree generally takes about 2 years of full-time study; certificate and diploma programmes vary in length but usually take less time. Students often specialise in one type of drafting, such as mechanical or architectural drafting.
  • Vocational training in Spain. Two higher vocational training (FP) qualifications of 2,000 hours are the closest equivalents. Técnico Superior en Proyectos de Edificación trains students to produce 2D and 3D models, plans and presentations of building projects and leads to jobs such as building drafter (delineante de edificación). Técnico Superior en Diseño en Fabricación Mecánica covers graphic representation and the design of mechanical products and moulds, and leads to jobs such as CAD technician.
  • Bachelor's degrees. Universities rarely offer a bachelor's degree in drafting alone. CAD is taught within degrees in engineering, architecture and design. In Spain an official bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits.
  • Certification. Professional certification is not mandatory for drafters in the United States, but the BLS notes that it demonstrates competence, and certifications exist for architectural, civil and mechanical drafting.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists four active schools for computer aided drafting: two in the United States, one in Australia and one in Russia. They are Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon, and County College of Morris in Randolph, New Jersey; the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) in Queensland, Australia; and Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University in Russia.

Chemeketa Community College runs a Drafting Technology-CAD programme with certificate and degree options. UniSC teaches engineering and design programmes at bachelor's level rather than a separate drafting qualification. The two US colleges and UniSC teach in English. For the County College of Morris and the university in Saint Petersburg, check the school's own site for the current CAD courses and the language of instruction.

Students who plan to work in Spain should look at the two FP qualifications above, which are taught in Spanish (or a co-official language) at public and private vocational centres throughout the country.

Careers

Most drafters specialise. Architectural drafters draw structural features and details for buildings; civil drafters prepare topographical maps for projects such as highways and bridges; electrical and electronics drafters prepare wiring and circuit diagrams; mechanical drafters prepare layouts of machinery and devices. In Spain the corresponding job titles include delineante proyectista, delineante de edificación and técnico en CAD, with employers such as architecture and engineering studios, construction companies and manufacturing industry.

According to the BLS, drafters held about 180,200 jobs in the United States in 2025, 49 percent of them in architectural, engineering and related services, 21 percent in manufacturing and 13 percent in construction. Overall employment is projected to grow 1 percent from 2025 to 2035, slower than the average for all occupations, with about 14,400 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who leave. The BLS expects CAD and BIM technologies to reduce employment for many types of drafters, because they make drafters more productive and let engineers and architects do tasks that drafters used to do. These figures describe the US labour market only.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a university degree to work as a CAD drafter?

Usually not. In the United States the typical entry qualification is a two-year associate degree, and in Spain a 2,000-hour higher vocational training qualification. Some drafters start with a shorter certificate or diploma.

How long does it take to study computer aided drafting?

An associate degree generally takes about 2 years of full-time study, according to the BLS. Certificates and diplomas usually take less.

What is the difference between CAD and BIM?

CAD software is used to create and store technical drawings digitally. BIM systems go further: they let drafters, architects, construction managers and engineers create and collaborate on a digital model of a building or machine.

Is drafting a growing profession?

Slowly. The BLS projects 1 percent growth in drafter employment in the United States between 2025 and 2035, with growth for architectural and civil drafters and a decline for mechanical and electrical drafters.