Madison 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 Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is one of two major U.S. cities that sit on an isthmus—a narrow strip of land connecting two large areas, with water on either side. Besides "isthmus," other words people use when they're describing Madison are "beer" and "cheese." In fact, Madison is home to a number of local breweries, which are celebrated every spring during Craft Beer Week. And one of the University of Wisconsin's most unique courses of study prepares students for Madison jobs in cheesemaking through its Center for Dairy Research. Each January, Madison's two favorite food groups team up at the annual Beer & Cheese Festival.
If beer and cheese are not your cup of tea, you can enjoy Madison's five lakes—Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa and 12 public beaches. Madison ranks among the safest places to live in the U.S. with an average cost of living—meaning that the salary from a job in Madison will go pretty far. And outside the city limits, you can also find jobs in nearby cities, including Waukesha, Milwaukee, and Kenosha.
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How Much Do Drafting Jobs Pay in Madison, Wisconsin?
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 Madison, Wisconsin, 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 Madison is $25.51 per hour, which is 5% higher than the national average.
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