Your work. Your records.
Architectural and Civil Drafter Workplace Records
Drafting work turns concepts and calculations into drawings that may be revised by several disciplines. A workplace concern can depend on which instructions and design version you received. Explain your assigned deliverable and review path rather than treating your name on a drawing as proof that you controlled every design decision.
Call now(800) 800-5555Free initial case evaluation. Representation depends on work state and case eligibility. This guide explains record preparation; it does not determine whether a legal claim exists.
A record map for your role
What to organize first
Revision outline
List the reference version, requested change and approval date relevant to the dispute.
Coordination request
Record conflicting inputs and your request for clarification, with the response received.
Own review record
Pair employment feedback with the assignment period without removing project drawings.
Start with the work you actually do
Prepare detailed drawings of architectural and structural features of buildings or drawings and topographical relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, and public works. Use knowledge of building materials, engineering practices, and mathematics to complete drawings.
O*NET classifies this occupation as Architectural and Civil Drafters (17-3011.00). Its description covers a typical occupation, not every workplace or individual job. It does not establish employee status, overtime eligibility or employer misconduct.
- Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.Source task 21917 · updated 08/2026
- Analyze building codes, by-laws, space and site requirements, and other technical documents and reports to determine their effect on architectural designs.Source task 21920 · updated 08/2026
- Draw rough and detailed scale plans for foundations, buildings, and structures, based on preliminary concepts, sketches, engineering calculations, specification sheets, and other data.Source task 21926 · updated 08/2026
- Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans.Source task 21919 · updated 08/2026
A reference point for your pay records
May 2025 wage estimates by state
Compare your pay records with published BLS estimates for Architectural and Civil Drafters (SOC 17-3011). These describe an occupation across employers. They are not a required pay rate, an overtime calculation, or evidence of discrimination or unpaid wages.
Select your work state to see its published pay range. No personal pay information is requested or sent.
The 25th and 75th percentiles mark the middle half of the estimated wage distribution; the median is its midpoint. Actual pay can differ with experience, employer, location and duties. Hourly and annual figures are shown as published, without converting one into the other.
All published state estimates for this occupation
| State | Hourly 25th | Hourly median | Hourly 75th | Annual median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $22.32 | $27.45 | $33.10 | $57,100 |
| Alaska | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Arizona | $28.08 | $31.13 | $38.44 | $64,750 |
| Arkansas | $27.77 | $30.01 | $35.63 | $62,420 |
| Connecticut | $30.89 | $36.68 | $38.33 | $76,290 |
| Delaware | $28.14 | $35.12 | $38.80 | $73,040 |
| Florida | $23.26 | $30.12 | $37.30 | $62,640 |
| Georgia | $27.37 | $36.03 | $38.36 | $74,940 |
| Hawaii | $27.03 | $30.53 | $39.56 | $63,510 |
| Idaho | $25.04 | $29.73 | $36.54 | $61,840 |
| Indiana | $24.15 | $28.85 | $35.97 | $60,000 |
| Iowa | $27.65 | $30.87 | $38.65 | $64,220 |
| Kansas | $25.11 | $29.91 | $34.75 | $62,220 |
| Kentucky | $23.15 | $28.91 | $35.99 | $60,120 |
| Louisiana | $23.12 | $29.33 | $39.21 | $61,010 |
| Maine | $27.81 | $31.83 | $37.73 | $66,200 |
| Michigan | $23.27 | $28.04 | $35.48 | $58,330 |
| Minnesota | $29.54 | $33.98 | $38.84 | $70,680 |
| Mississippi | $24.42 | $28.81 | $32.60 | $59,920 |
| Missouri | $26.56 | $29.78 | $36.71 | $61,940 |
| Montana | $28.07 | $31.61 | $37.26 | $65,750 |
| Nebraska | $26.04 | $29.59 | $37.04 | $61,550 |
| New Hampshire | $28.17 | $31.39 | $36.64 | $65,300 |
| New Mexico | $21.00 | $24.15 | $36.12 | $50,230 |
| New York | $29.27 | $36.66 | $45.12 | $76,260 |
| North Carolina | $24.90 | $30.17 | $37.82 | $62,750 |
| North Dakota | $28.18 | $31.12 | $37.04 | $64,720 |
| Ohio | $23.42 | $29.54 | $36.88 | $61,450 |
| Oklahoma | $23.11 | $29.88 | $36.63 | $62,140 |
| Pennsylvania | $26.23 | $31.15 | $38.26 | $64,800 |
| Rhode Island | $29.64 | $34.47 | $40.36 | $71,700 |
| South Dakota | $22.44 | $25.23 | $29.40 | $52,470 |
| Tennessee | $27.47 | $33.28 | $38.69 | $69,220 |
| Texas | $24.43 | $30.44 | $38.97 | $63,320 |
| Utah | $26.93 | $30.91 | $38.87 | $64,290 |
| Vermont | $22.82 | $29.33 | $35.36 | $61,000 |
| Virginia | $25.93 | $30.51 | $36.92 | $63,450 |
| West Virginia | $23.22 | $31.56 | $40.71 | $65,640 |
| Wisconsin | $27.59 | $30.25 | $37.80 | $62,930 |
| Wyoming | $27.53 | $30.64 | $34.89 | $63,730 |
“Not published” preserves unavailable or suppressed source cells. “Above reporting limit” preserves a top-coded source value without inventing a number. A missing state estimate does not establish service eligibility. The data describe wage and salary employment; they do not measure self-employment income.
Source: BLS May 2025 state workbook · OEWS tables · BLS technical notes. Use your own schedule, pay statement and compensation terms to identify the question you want reviewed.
Identify the drawing version
Record the brief, reference information and revision in effect when you worked. Note changes from engineering or another discipline and the approval role. Distinguish your draft from an issued drawing, including any question you raised about conflicting information before release.
Explain coordination and rework
List required coordination, revisions and checks relevant to your schedule or evaluation. Identify late inputs or changed deadlines you reported without assuming they explain all delay. Keep permitted assignment messages and your own time entry rather than copying the project’s entire revision history.
Keep drawings and site details restricted
Do not export CAD models, client specifications, security-sensitive layouts or licensed reference libraries. Identify relevant file versions by type for review. Keep your own feedback and response separately, avoiding conclusions about structural adequacy or code compliance in an employment summary.
Choose your next step
Review the workplace retaliation guide, unpaid wages guide, or discrimination guide if those concerns fit your experience. A job title alone does not establish a claim.
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