Arlington Drafting Jobs Overview
Do you have a hard time choosing between a creative and technical career? Consider applying for drafting jobs, where you can combine your artistic abilities with your computer skills to help craft new buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. Drafters—also known as draftsmen, draftspeople, or drafting technicians—translate the ideas of architects and engineers into technical drawings that are easy for construction or manufacturing crews to read and build. In this career, you'll be following in the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci, who many consider to be one of the first master drafters—his technical drawings of inventions were revolutionary.
Today, most drafters use computer-aided design (CAD) software or computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) software. Drafters can also draw by hand using a tilting table or a drafting machine, but this is mostly limited to the concept stage. Software is used for the final design.
Drafters usually specialize in one of the following areas:
- Mechanical drafters prepare diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices.
- Architectural drafters work with architects to produce designs for buildings and infrastructure.
- Civil drafters work with civil engineers to create maps, drawings, and diagrams of buildings and infrastructure.
- Electrical and electronic drafters work with electrical and electronic engineers to produce diagrams and drawings of equipment and parts.
You can expand your search for engineering jobs by checking out these similar positions:
About Working in Arlington, Texas
Part of a tri-city statistical area in Texas that also ropes in Dallas and Fort Worth, Arlington is well-regarded for its superior quality of life, with high marks for diversity, homeownership, various parks and recreational centers, multiple sports arenas, and a reputable research university. As an added value, the city is home to rollicking attractions, such as Six Flags Over Texas (the original Six Flags theme park) and the 1,300-acre River Legacy sanctuaries filled with wildlife and natural wonders. And the prospect of finding Arlington jobs is looking good too, with a faster-than-national-average growth rate of 38.9%.
Most saliently, residents can take advantage of buying (or renting) a home at a reasonable price. While overall cost of living in Arlington is just 0.6% higher than the rest of the U.S., housing costs are 11.5% lower. Winters are relatively mild too, shopping centers are spread throughout, and the city is only 14 miles away from the closest international airport. Additionally, more job opportunities are available in nearby Dallas, Fort Worth, and Grapevine.
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How Much Do Drafting Jobs Pay in Arlington, Texas?
Got money on your mind? You should! Make sure you’re getting paid what you’re worth. Our Salary Tools can help you understand what you can expect to make in drafting jobs in Arlington, Texas, as well as the skills that can boost your value and what the next steps in your career might be. Right now, the median drafter pay in Arlington is $24.74 per hour, which is 2% higher than the national average.
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