CAD Coordinators support or even supervise design or engineering teams. These skilled tech pros typically earn an average annual salary of around $65,000, not including bonuses, 401(k) plans, or other additional compensation.

A CAD Coordinator can master their skills through education and practical experience. Some learn AutoCAD from Autodesk and related skills in degree programs, whereas others learn through an immersive bootcamp or certificate program. A smaller number of CAD Coordinators freelance, although taking this route can present unique challenges. Read on to learn more about this in-demand position.

What is a CAD Coordinator?

A CAD Coordinator generally provides support for design, engineering, or manufacturing teams. Responsibilities for CAD Coordinator positions vary widely, and different industries can have unique requirements and unusual job titles. They can range from updating software to providing training or maintaining CAD standards.

CAD Coordinators may design and prepare electronic working plans, maps, and project drawings. Others receive customer 2D drawings and prepare them for release to a CAD design or engineering team. Firmwide CAD Coordinators typically work in a supervisory capacity, managing and coordinating all CAD-related activities.

CAD Coordinators are oftentimes experts in building information modeling (BIM), and some positions have titles like CAD/BIM Design Coordinator. These roles are often comparable to those with titles like Firmwide CAD Coordinator, which means they support multiple design and engineering teams. Read on for additional requirements and specifics for this unique position.

Job Requirements

Because the CAD Coordinator role is so diverse, open position requirements can vary widely. For example, a CAD Design Coordinator/Checker position might be a part-time remote job that requires some experience and pays around $20 per hour. On the other hand, a Firmwide CAD Coordinator role, advertised as such, can require an engineering or design degree and advanced experience with BIM tools like AutoCAD and Civil 3D. Positions at this level can pay more than six figures, depending on industry, location, or other factors. 

Another consideration is the field of endeavor. For example, a CAD Coordinator position may be a straightforward CAD/BIM Designer role requiring some practical experience with buildings and architecture. However, another role listed as CAD Coordinator may be more of a CAD Technician/Data Coordinator position in aerospace and defense manufacturing. These roles might have similar titles but require an entirely different use of CAD tools and skills. Research positions in your preferred field to better understand the requirements for the position you seek.

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Job Responsibilities

As in the job requirement category, responsibilities for CAD Coordinator roles vary. However, many are common to positions in most organizations, regardless of whether they pertain to architecture, engineering, construction, or manufacturing. Consider the following typical responsibilities for this role:

  • Review technical drawings (2D or 3D)
  • Improve and maintain AutoCAD or Civil 3D content
  • Coordinate with design or engineering teams to ensure accuracy
  • Communicate updates to teams and key stakeholders
  • Manage drawing, redlining, and version control
  • Prepare itemized bills of materials
  • Instruct local and regional CAD Coordinators to train users (Firmwide CAD Coordinator)

Some responsibilities will apply only to Senior or Firmwide CAD Coordinator positions, as in those that require training or leadership responsibilities. Read on to learn more about CAD Coordinator skills and tools.

Skills

CAD Coordinator skills vary by industry, location, and the experience required for an individual position. Entry-level CAD jobs are typically not at the coordinator level, tending instead toward AutoCAD Drafters, Mechanical Drafters, or CAD Designers. Still, even some of these roles may require a degree or specific experience.

While an all-inclusive list of all skills applicable to the CAD Coordinator role does not exist, consider the following examples of those essential to many CAD Coordinator positions:

  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Autodesk Civil 3D
  • Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC)
  • Autodesk Inventor 
  • Autodesk Navisworks
  • Autodesk Plant 3D
  • Autodesk Revit
  • AutoTURN
  • LandFX
  • MS-Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
  • Solid Edge (3D CAD software)

Additional industry-specific skills may also be necessary, especially in areas outside building information modeling like product design and manufacturing. Check job postings for more examples.

Why Do Businesses Need CAD Coordinators?

Organizations need CAD Coordinators for many reasons. In the case of the Firmwide CAD Coordinator role, an organization may need that person to train local or regional CAD Coordinators or production teams in the finer points of AutoCAD and Civil 3D. No one else in such an organization can fulfill this role.

On the other hand, a large organization with multiple CAD Coordinators may need to deploy them for various reasons. Some may review products, others function as the liaison between the client and production team, and others may need to review work orders, procedural manuals, or other documentation. This position is crucial to the organization for keeping CAD workflow running smoothly and ensuring the customer or client has their questions answered and needs met throughout the building or production process.

Where Do CAD Coordinators Usually Work?

CAD Coordinators are essential to multiple types of businesses in several key industries. The primary industries that require CAD Coordinators include:

  • Architectural
  • Engineering
  • Construction
  • Manufacturing
  • Operations
  • Product Design

Organizations that need CAD Coordinators include electrical and plumbing contractors, general contractors, architect firms, engineering companies, renewable energy services, and manufacturing companies, to name a few.

CAD Coordinator Salary and Job Outlook

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) categorizes CAD Coordinators under the general category of Drafters. Although the BLS expects a slight decline (one percent) in job growth for this role over the next decade, this does not necessarily indicate an overall decline for CAD Coordinators. Many entry-level CAD roles that can lead to the CAD Coordinator position are CAD Drafters or Designers.

Even at the Drafter or Designer level, these positions pay well. A Drafter in the US currently earns an average yearly salary of around $69,000, better than the median annual US salary of $59,000. While professional certification is not always a requirement for AutoCAD Drafters or Designers, the right one can boost starting pay rates for many of these essential roles.

How Long Does it Take to Become a CAD Coordinator?

The time it takes to become a CAD Coordinator depends on your current experience level, skill set, industry or sector, and what type of training you need to meet your budget and career goals.

For example, if you plan to begin a career as a Designer or Drafter, you may need to master some drawing or design basics before you enroll in your first AutoCAD class. Many beginner-friendly CAD courses start with fundamentals before attendees progress to intermediate or advanced tools and skills.

However, to become a CAD Coordinator, you must master related skills and a great deal of knowledge, which can include local or regional regulations. Besides AutoCAD, a CAD Coordinator position can require tools like Autodesk Civil 3D, Navisworks, Revit, and other skills.

The career track for a Senior or Firmwide CAD Coordinator position can be even more intensive. Roles at this level may begin with a position as an AutoCAD Designer or Drafter, then progress through other roles to the management level. 

Many of these senior roles require a degree and five or more years of on-the-job experience. An entry-level CAD position often requires an associate's degree or higher, and roles beyond this level can demand a bachelor's or higher in a relevant field like architecture or mechanical engineering.

Learning all the essential tools may come through varying sources, like courses that include all of them together. Consider also whether a role will require a CAD certification, like the Autodesk Certified Professional in AutoCAD for Design and Drafting. Candidates for certification credentials often have 100-plus hours of AutoCAD experience. To pass a certification exam like this, candidates must have essential skills like drawing management and design annotation.

Preparing for a career as a CAD Coordinator, whether at the senior level or among a team of other CAD Coordinators, is measured in years, not months. Plan for the long haul, get industry-specific training relevant to where you want to work, and be prepared to sit for certification exams or college or university courses.

CAD Coordinator vs. CAD Designer

When you start researching CAD roles, you might be overwhelmed by the variety of titles and listed responsibilities for CAD positions in online job postings. For example, a CAD Coordinator job search can yield results like CAD Technician, Design Engineer Coordinator, Architectural Design Coordinator, or Business Development Coordinator. Most of these will require CAD expertise, but some may bear little resemblance to a CAD Coordinator position.

However, one role closely related to the CAD Coordinator position is that of CAD Designer. As in the case of the CAD Coordinator results, a search for CAD Designer job postings will yield a variety of titles: CAD Draftsman/Designer, CAD Designer/Drafter, or CAD Design Coordinator/Checker, to name a few.

It’s understandable if this sounds confusing. To better understand these roles, consider these differences and similarities between a CAD Coordinator and a CAD Designer:

  • A CAD Designer will focus on conceptual and creative design aspects.
  • CAD Coordinators may coordinate with design teams but typically focus on reviewing rather than creating designs or drawings.
  • CAD Designers typically work on design more than collaboration or coordination with other departments.
  • CAD Coordinators may support design teams, management, clients, and other key stakeholders. Their roles usually include corrections and version control.
  • According to salary.com, the average annual base pay for a CAD Coordinator is around $99,000. The average annual salary for a CAD Designer is about $67,000.
  • However, consider this salary rate for CAD Designers to be at the CAD Designer I level. CAD Designers level II or III will typically pay more.

Although some CAD Coordinator job postings may be Designer roles, most should be different. To weed out design roles, avoid most listings with the word Designer in the title. Another consideration is the title of CAD Design Coordinator/Checker. A position with this title is more likely to be a CAD Coordinator rather than a Designer.

Learn the Skills to Become a CAD Coordinator at Noble Desktop

While some CAD roles will require expertise in a system software like SolidWorks from Dassault Systèmes, most will require AutoCAD. Training for a CAD Coordinator role typically starts with one or more Autodesk programs, from AutoCAD to Revit, Fusion 360, and Navisworks.

Noble Desktop provides multiple AutoCAD training options for individuals and organizations. Their AutoCAD Level I class is an 18-hour program available live online via teleconferencing or in person at their state-of-the-art Manhattan headquarters. Beginners learn to create drawings for architectural or mechanical applications. Although in-person classes focus on AutoCAD for PC, Mac users may attend online. Noble offers intermediate and advanced training through AutoCAD Levels II and III classes.

Applicants can save by taking AutoCAD Level I within one of several immersive programs. The following courses include beginner to intermediate or advanced AutoCAD training:

  • AutoCAD Bootcamp - The comprehensive AutoCAD Bootcamp combines AutoCAD Levels I and II for a total of 30 hours of training. Attendees learn basic and intermediate AutoCAD skills like drawing, editing, advanced layer techniques, and data tables in a beginner-friendly curriculum.
  • AutoCAD Masterclass - Noble Desktop’s AutoCAD Masterclass adds an 18-hour advanced AutoCAD Level III course to the AutoCAD Bootcamp modules. While also open to beginners, this 48-hour program covers advanced object types and interface techniques. Graduates rate the AutoCAD Masterclass highly, 4.7 out of 5 stars. 
  • AutoCAD Certification Program - The 54-hour AutoCAD Certification Program adds six hours of private tutoring to the AutoCAD Masterclass curriculum to prepare students to sit for the Autodesk Certificated Professional in AutoCAD for Design and Drafting exam. Tuition also covers proctoring for the exam and a free retake if needed. Attendees can substitute an additional hour of tutoring in place of the exam if they choose. 

Courses like the certification program can help professional AutoCAD users stand out from the field in a crowded job market. However, Autodesk also suggests that the certification exam usually requires between 400 and 1,200 on-the-job hours using the AutoCAD software to prepare for testing.