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Careers›Roles›CADD Technician (Computer-Aided Design and Drafting Technician)
Mid-Level

CADD Technician (Computer-Aided Design and Drafting Technician)

The detailed drawings engineers and architects build from take shape at your workstation, drafted, dimensioned, and revised in CAD until they're exact. Where accuracy ripples through everything downstream.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
R
I
C
A
E
S
Realistichands-on, practical
Investigativeanalytical, curious
Based on Holland Code framework
Industries that often hire CADD Technician (Computer-Aided Design and Drafting Technician)s
Real EstateProfessional Services · 51%Government · 42%Construction · 3%Administrative Services · 1%Education · 1%
Job markets for CADD Technician (Computer-Aided Design and Drafting Technician)s
Employment concentration · ~250 areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
Engineering
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
Jump to:What it's likeCareer pathsBy the numbers
What it's like

What it's like to be a CADD Technician (Computer-Aided Design and Drafting Technician)

The work is drafting and detailing: producing technical drawings, dimensioning them precisely, and revising through markups from the engineers who own the design. You spend the day in the details, at a screen. A misplaced dimension becomes a real-world error, so the craft is precision and consistency, drawing after drawing.

What surprises people is how much is revision, not original drawing: designs change, and you keep up. The work can be detailed and repetitive, software and standards evolve, and scope varies, from pure drafting toward design depending on the shop. Patience for fine detail is essential.

It fits someone precise, patient, and comfortable with focused screen work. If you want variety or big-picture design, the role can feel narrow. But if you take pride in clean, accurate drawings, and like being the careful hands the whole project relies on, the role tends to suit, and can open toward design.

What people in this role value
SupportAbove avg
IndependenceModerate
AchievementModerate
Working ConditionsModerate
RelationshipsModerate
RecognitionLower
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns
Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

Earning potential across this track
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
Technology & Information$117K+15%
Professional Services$103K+1%
Energy & Utilities$87K-14%
Financial Services$86K-16%
Wholesale & Distribution$74K-28%
Compared to Engineering average across all industries
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all CADD Technician (Computer-Aided Design and Drafting Technician)s (SOC 17-3022.00), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Related rolesExplore Engineering →
CADD Technician (Computer-Aided Design and Drafting Technician)Field TechnicianDesign TechnicianDrafting TechnicianEngineering TechnologistEngineering AssistantEngineering TechnicianCivil DesignerTransportation Engineering TechnicianCivil Engineer's AideCivil Engineering TechnicianBridge Construction InspectorCivil Engineering TechnologistFire Protection Engineering Technician
Exploring the CADD Technician (Computer-Aided Design and Drafting Technician) career path? Truest helps you figure out if it's the right fit — and plan your path forward.
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✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$44K–$98K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
62K
U.S. Employment
+2.1%
10yr Growth
6K
Annual Openings

How this category is changing

$77K$74K$71K$68K$65K201920202021202220232024$65K$77K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

Critical ThinkingReading ComprehensionActive ListeningMathematicsSpeakingMonitoringWritingJudgment and Decision MakingComplex Problem SolvingCoordination
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mapped SOC Codes
17-3022.00

Explore related roles

Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths

midField Technician$56KmidDesign Technician$65KmidDrafting Technician$65KseniorSenior Drafting Technician$65KmidEngineering Technologist$69KmidEngineering Assistant$64K
View all Engineering roles →

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.