Prepare drawings and topographical and relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, pipelines, flood control projects, and water and sewerage control systems.
U.S. Workers
109,550
Median Salary
$64,280
10-Year Growth
+4.1%
Annual Openings
10,000
Typical entry: Associate's degree
15 of 15 tasks have some AI capability
Exposure Trend
This score reflects estimated AI technical capability for tasks in this occupation. It does not predict employment changes, and it does not account for company-specific constraints, regulation, or adoption barriers.
Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.
AI: Fully automatable - AI-driven CAD tools can produce precise technical drawings from specifications or sketches, fully automating the drafting process commonly done with CAD systems.
Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes.
AI: Fully automatable - Translating sketches or notes into detailed plans is a routine drafting task that AI and CAD automation can perform effectively given adequate input data and standards.
Finish and duplicate drawings and documentation packages according to required mediums and specifications for reproduction, using blueprinting, photography, or other duplicating methods.
AI: Fully automatable - Preparing, finishing, and exporting drawings and documentation to required digital and print specifications is routine and can be fully automated with current CAD/DTP workflows.
Locate and identify symbols on topographical surveys to denote geological and geophysical formations or oil field installations.
AI: Fully automatable - Computer vision and GIS parsing reliably locate and identify standardized symbols on topographical surveys and annotate geological or installation features automatically.
Calculate excavation tonnage and prepare graphs and fill-hauling diagrams for use in earth-moving operations.
AI: Fully automatable - Volume, tonnage calculations and generation of excavation graphs and haul diagrams are deterministic tasks that current software and AI can fully automate given the input data.
Calculate weights, volumes, and stress factors and their implications for technical aspects of designs.
AI: Fully automatable - By 2025 simulation tools and AI can compute weights, volumes, and stress factors and provide engineering interpretations given accurate input data.
Plot characteristics of boreholes for oil and gas wells from photographic subsurface survey recordings and other data, representing depth, degree, and direction of inclination.
AI: Fully automatable - Machine vision and geoscience processing algorithms can extract measurements from photographic subsurface data and generate borehole depth/inclination plots automatically.
Review rough sketches, drawings, specifications, and other engineering data received from civil engineers to ensure that they conform to design concepts.
AI: Partial - AI can review and check for many conformance issues and inconsistencies against design concepts and standards, but nuanced interpretation and final acceptance typically require human review.
Draw maps, diagrams, and profiles, using cross-sections and surveys, to represent elevations, topographical contours, subsurface formations, and structures.
AI: Partial - AI and CAD/GIS tools can automatically generate maps, contours, and profiles from digital survey and cross‑section data but complex subsurface interpretation and QA still require human expertise.
Supervise and train other technologists, technicians, and drafters.
AI: Partial - AI can produce training materials, run onboarding simulations, and support administrative aspects of supervision, but cannot fully replace human leadership, mentorship, and on‑the‑job judgment.
Determine the order of work and method of presentation, such as orthographic or isometric drawing.
AI: Partial - AI can recommend optimal work sequences and drawing conventions based on standards and project parameters, but final decisions about method and presentation often require human judgment and client/contextual input.
Correlate, interpret, and modify data obtained from topographical surveys, well logs, and geophysical prospecting reports.
AI: Partial - AI can correlate and analyze survey, well log, and geophysical data to suggest interpretations and updates, but nuanced geological interpretation and risk judgment still need human validation.
Supervise or conduct field surveys, inspections, or technical investigations to obtain data required to revise construction drawings.
AI: Partial - Autonomous sensors and drones plus AI can perform many survey and inspection tasks, but conducting and supervising field investigations still require human oversight, access, and on‑site decision making.
Explain drawings to production or construction teams and provide adjustments as necessary.
AI: Partial - AI can generate clear explanations and adjustment proposals for drawings and support remote communication, but in‑person coordination and real‑time negotiation with crews typically need human facilitation.
Determine quality, cost, strength, and quantity of required materials, and enter figures on materials lists.
AI: Partial - AI can calculate quantities, costs, and structural strength from specifications and populate materials lists, but assessing material quality and procurement tradeoffs often requires human inspection and commercial judgment.