# Architectural and Civil Drafters

US SOC code 17-3011. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/17-3011

Also called: Architectural drafter, Civil drafter, CAD drafter, BIM drafter, CAD technician.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **103,700** US architectural and civil drafters, with median pay of **$66,150** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the highest was **114,910**, in May 2008. The earliest figure here is [a Census count](https://www.census.gov/library/publications/1904/dec/occupations.html) of **24,000** from 1900, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for architectural and civil drafters: Civil 3D, cloud BIM coordination, 2015 to 2023.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 5.2% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=17-3011&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **52%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Architectural and Civil Drafters employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1820
- Latest US employment: 103,700 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [6]
- Latest US median pay: $66,150 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [9]
- Outlook: +5.2% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [24]

### All 29 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1900 | 24,000 | n/a | Decennial Census 1900 [1] |
| 1940 | 96,000 | n/a | Decennial Census 1900 [2] |
| 1965 | n/a | $6,800 | BLS historical bulletin March 1965 [7] |
| 1970 | 190,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., IPUMS USA [3] |
| 1990 | 225,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook [4] |
| 2002 | 101,190 | $37,330 | BLS OEWS 2002 [5] |
| 2003 | 97,800 | $37,690 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [6] |
| 2004 | 101,060 | $39,190 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [6] |
| 2005 | 101,040 | $40,390 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [6] |
| 2006 | 107,110 | $41,960 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [6] |
| 2007 | 111,460 | $43,310 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [6] |
| 2008 | 114,910 | $44,490 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [6] |
| 2009 | 105,320 | $45,600 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [6] |
| 2010 | 89,670 | $46,430 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [6] |
| 2011 | 85,740 | $47,250 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [6] |
| 2012 | 83,410 | $47,870 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [6] |
| 2013 | 88,860 | $48,800 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [6] |
| 2014 | 91,520 | $49,970 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [6] |
| 2015 | 95,280 | $50,710 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [6] |
| 2016 | 96,810 | $51,640 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [6] |
| 2017 | 95,960 | $52,870 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [6] |
| 2018 | 97,610 | $54,920 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [6] |
| 2019 | 98,800 | $56,340 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [6] |
| 2020 | 99,180 | $57,500 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [6] |
| 2021 | 101,310 | $60,340 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [6] |
| 2022 | 105,960 | $59,820 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [6] |
| 2023 | 111,070 | $61,820 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [6] |
| 2024 | 109,550 | $64,280 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [6] |
| 2025 | 103,700 | $66,150 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [6] |

## Sources (86)

### Employment series

1. [1900 Census Special Reports: Occupations at the Twelfth Census (U.S. Census Bureau, 1904)](https://www.census.gov/library/publications/1904/dec/occupations.html), U.S. Census Bureau
2. [U.S. Census Bureau -- Occupational Trends in the United States, 1900 to 1950 (Census Bureau, 1958)](https://www.census.gov/library/publications/1958/demo/occupational-trends-1958.html), U.S. Census Bureau
3. [IPUMS USA -- Occupation and Industry Codes and Documentation (historical draftsmen series)](https://usa.ipums.org/usa/volii/occ_ind.shtml), IPUMS / University of Minnesota
4. [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook -- Drafters (1994-95 edition historical context)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/drafters.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
5. [BLS OES 2002 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes02nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
6. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

7. [BLS National Survey of Professional, Administrative, Technical, and Clerical Pay, February-March 1965 (Bulletin No. 1469) — draftsman salaries](https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/title/national-survey-professional-administrative-technical-clerical-pay-4570/national-survey-professional-administrative-technical-clerical-pay-february-march-1965-498147), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (via FRASER, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis)
8. [BLS OES 2002 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes02nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
9. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Tool eras

10. [Observations on the Materials and Techniques Used in 19th Century American Architectural Presentation Drawings (COOL/AIC, 1986)](https://cool.culturalheritage.org/coolaic/sg/bpg/annual/v05/bp05-05.html), American Institute for Conservation
11. [Parametric Architecture -- The Evolution of Architectural Drawings](https://parametric-architecture.com/evolution-of-architectural-drawings/), Parametric Architecture
12. [New-York Historical Society -- Blueprints, Then and Now (cyanotype history in architecture)](https://www.nyhistory.org/blogs/blueprints-then-and-now), New-York Historical Society
13. [Wikipedia -- Architectural reprography (blueprint, diazotype history)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architectural_reprography), Wikipedia
14. [Smithsonian Institution -- Engineering and Drafting (drawing instruments collection)](https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object-groups/protractors/engineering-drafting), Smithsonian National Museum of American History
15. [Drafter -- Wikipedia (drafting machine and board-era history)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drafter), Wikipedia
16. [How CAD Has Evolved Since 1982 -- Past, Present & Future (Scan2CAD)](https://www.scan2cad.com/blog/cad/cad-evolved-since-1982/), Scan2CAD
17. [AutoCAD -- Wikipedia (history: December 1982 COMDEX launch, $1,000 price)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AutoCAD), Wikipedia
18. [Autodesk Revit -- Wikipedia (founding history, Charles River Software 1997, Autodesk acquisition 2002)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autodesk_Revit), Wikipedia
19. [The History of BIM: Tracing the Evolution of Building Information Modeling (Techture Global, 2024)](https://www.techture.global/blog/the-history-of-bim-tracing-the-evolution-of-building-information-modeling), Techture Global
20. [Autodesk Civil 3D -- product overview (Autodesk)](https://www.autodesk.com/products/civil-3d/overview), Autodesk
21. [BIM in the US: What the Data Says (PlanRadar, 2024)](https://www.planradar.com/us/bim-in-the-us/), PlanRadar
22. [Autodesk Forma -- generative design and AI for site planning (Autodesk blog, 2025)](https://blogs.autodesk.com/forma/2025/04/24/how-to-use-generative-design-ai-and-3d-modeling-for-improved-site-planning/), Autodesk
23. [Autodesk -- agentic AI developments for Autodesk Assistant in Civil 3D (November 2025)](https://www.autodesk.com/blogs/aec/2025/11/17/agentic-ai-developments-for-autodesk-assistant-in-civil-3d/), Autodesk

### Forecasts and exposure studies

24. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 17-3011 Architectural and civil drafters (2025: 104.1 thousand; 2035: 109.5 thousand; +5.2%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=17-3011&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
25. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 17-3011.00, human-rated β 0.52)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

26. [New-York Historical Society -- Blueprints, Then and Now](https://www.nyhistory.org/blogs/blueprints-then-and-now), New-York Historical Society
27. [American Institute of Architects -- Wikipedia (founding, 1857)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Institute_of_Architects), Wikipedia
28. [Observations on the Materials and Techniques Used in 19th Century American Architectural Presentation Drawings (COOL/AIC, 1986)](https://cool.culturalheritage.org/coolaic/sg/bpg/annual/v05/bp05-05.html), American Institute for Conservation
29. [The Evolution of Architectural Drawings (Parametric Architecture, 2025)](https://parametric-architecture.com/evolution-of-architectural-drawings/), Parametric Architecture
30. [AutoCAD -- Wikipedia (December 1982 COMDEX launch history)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AutoCAD), Wikipedia
31. [Autodesk Revit -- Wikipedia (Charles River Software 1997, Autodesk acquisition 2002)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autodesk_Revit), Wikipedia
32. [BLS National Employment Matrix -- 17-3011 Architectural and Civil Drafters (2024-34 projections, IIJA context)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=17-3011&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Predecessors & successors

33. [Observations on the Materials and Techniques Used in 19th Century American Architectural Presentation Drawings (COOL/AIC)](https://cool.culturalheritage.org/coolaic/sg/bpg/annual/v05/bp05-05.html), American Institute for Conservation

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 — Architectural and Civil Drafters (17-3011.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/17-3011.00), accessed 2026-06-05
- [BLS — Drafters Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024-34 projections](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/drafters.htm), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Novatr — Architectural Drafter Career in USA 2025-2026](https://www.novatr.com/blog/architectural-drafter-career-in-usa), accessed 2026-06-05
- [BIM Heroes — Will AI Replace Drafters? 2026](https://bimheroes.com/is-ai-coming-for-drafters-what-it-means-for-you/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Autodesk — Neural CAD and Generative Design in Forma](https://blogs.autodesk.com/forma/2025/04/24/how-to-use-generative-design-ai-and-3d-modeling-for-improved-site-planning/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Hypar 2.0 — Generative design platform, September 2024](https://aecmag.com/features/hypar-2-0/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Novatr — Top Architectural Drafter Skills 2026](https://www.novatr.com/blog/top-architectural-drafter-skills), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Hypar Review — Generative design platform for space, DataDrivenAEC](https://datadrivenaec.com/tools/hypar), accessed 2026-06-05

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.