Architectural & Civil Drafters vs Civil Engineers
Median pay is about $35k higher for Civil Engineers. The usual entry education is associate's for Architectural & Civil Drafters and bachelor's for Civil Engineers.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Architectural & Civil Drafters | Civil Engineers |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $66,150 | $100,840, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $55,650 | $79,930, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $80,870 | $129,680, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +5.2% Growing fast | +6.4% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 9,100 | 22,700 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Associate's | Bachelor's |
| Difficulty modeled | 1.8 / 5 | 3.4 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | High | Low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 62nd pct | 74th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Architectural & Civil Drafters
- Active Learning
Only Civil Engineers
- Speaking
Both lean on reading comprehension, writing, critical thinking, active listening, mathematics.
More comparisons
Compare Architectural & Civil Drafters with
Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.