Job Description & Salary Outlook for CAD Designers

In 2006, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported there were 48,000 commercial and industrial CAD designers in the United States. They combine engineering, art, and computer science in their day-to-day work.

Function

CAD designers use computer-aided drafting software to create designs for products and machinery. The finished products are mathematically and scientifically rendered so that they can be precisely implemented to create a finished product.

Other Duties

CAD designers typically display and explain their designs in formalized presentations, receiving feedback from corporate representatives and making adjustments as needed. They also collaborate with engineers and members of the finance department to ensure that their ideas are sound and in keeping with budgetary constraints.

Types

CAD designers work for design firms as well as directly for corporations and manufacturing companies, or they may be self-employed freelancers.

Education

Most CAD designers possess bachelor's degrees in industrial design, architecture or engineering. Internships with design firms are common features of undergraduate CAD programs.

Outlook

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the demand for CAD designers will grow by 7 percent through 2016, resulting in the creation of 3,400 new jobs. In May 2008, the annual median salary for CAD designers was $61,580, up 11.3 percent from the pay rate in May 2006.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Industry Overview
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Compensation Information
• Education Portal