by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 12 U.S. colleges awarded 87 degrees and certificates in Civil Drafting & Civil Engineering CAD/CADD. Certificates are the most popular award, at 40% of graduates. College Factual ranks 3 schools in its 2027 Best Civil Drafting & Civil Engineering CAD/CADD Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $46,481 one year after completing, rising to $60,644 after four years.
Studying Civil Drafting & Civil Engineering CAD/CADD explores Civil Drafting And Civil Engineering Cad/cadd. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Technical Knowledge And Skills To Develop Working Drawing And Electronic Simulations In Support Of Civil Engineers, Geological Engineers, And Related Professionals. Includes Instruction In Basic Civil Engineering Principles, Geological And Seismographic Mapping, Machine Drafting, Computer-Aided Drafting (Cad), Pipe Drafting, Survey Interpretation, And Blueprint Reading.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, civil drafting & civil engineering cad/cadd draws strong interest, with 87 degrees awarded annually. 12 colleges award civil drafting & civil engineering cad/cadd degrees, an average of 7 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 23.
By level, the 87 awards include 35 certificates, 19 associate degrees and 33 master’s degrees.
Women earned 28% of civil drafting & civil engineering cad/cadd degrees and certificates in the latest year (24 of 87). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (48) and Hispanic or Latino (23).
College Factual ranks 3 schools in its 2027 Best Civil Drafting & Civil Engineering CAD/CADD Schools ranking. It also ranks civil drafting & civil engineering cad/cadd schools within 1 state. In all, 12 colleges offer civil drafting & civil engineering cad/cadd programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Civil Drafting & Civil Engineering CAD/CADD Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common civil drafting & civil engineering cad/cadd credential is the certificate: 35 of the 87 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to civil drafting & civil engineering cad/cadd call most for Reading Comprehension, Systems Analysis and Complex Problem Solving, and for knowledge of Design, Building and Construction and Engineering and Technology, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Comprehension, Visualization and Written Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a civil drafting & civil engineering cad/cadd degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 35 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 19 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 33 |
1 occupations are related to Civil Drafting & Civil Engineering CAD/CADD, with an average median salary of $82,779; the strongest outlook belongs to Architectural and Civil Drafters, at 13.5% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Civil CAD Designer (Civil Computer-Aided Design Designer), BIM Specialist (Building Information Modeling Specialist), BIM Designer (Building Information Modeling Designer) and Architecture Drafter.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to civil drafting & civil engineering cad/cadd, at 114,684.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Civil Drafters | 114,684 | 13.5% |
Civil Drafting & Civil Engineering CAD/CADD graduates earn a median $46,481 one year after completing their program, $60,644 after four years and $56,760 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $46,481 |
| 4 years | $60,644 |
| 5 years | $56,760 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to civil drafting & civil engineering cad/cadd, with a median salary of $82,779.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Architectural and Civil Drafters | $82,779 |
Civil Drafting & Civil Engineering CAD/CADD has 7 similar majors in the Engineering Technologies field, which together award 10,259 degrees a year; the largest are Drafting and Design Technology/Technician, General (4,213), CAD/CADD Drafting and/or Design Technology/Technician (3,206) and Architectural Drafting and Architectural CAD/CADD (1,734). Browse all Engineering Technologies majors or the full list of college majors.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
