Revit vs. AutoCAD vs. ArchiCAD: What NYC Firms Actually Require

Article

Which tools actually get you hired — and how to prove your skills are current, not just listed.

Every job description lists software, but they're not all asking for the same thing. Knowing what each tool is really for — and which one a given firm leans on — helps you aim your learning where it pays off.

Revit: the BIM standard

For most firms doing coordinated, documented building work, Revit is the baseline. BIM is how teams model, document, and coordinate across disciplines, and Revit fluency is the skill that turns "we'd have to train them" into "we need them now." If you invest in one tool, this is usually it.

AutoCAD: still everywhere

AutoCAD hasn't disappeared — it's the lingua franca for 2D documentation, legacy drawing sets, consultant coordination, and plenty of smaller-firm workflows. It's table stakes more than a differentiator now, but a firm working with older document sets still expects it.

ArchiCAD: strong where it's used

ArchiCAD is a capable BIM platform with a devoted base, especially at design-forward studios. It's less common than Revit across the market, so it's a real advantage at the firms that run on it — and worth naming specifically when you see it in a posting.

The bonus skills that get noticed

Rhino and Grasshopper for complex geometry and computational design, and increasingly comfort with the AI-assisted features moving into design tools, set strong candidates apart — particularly on ambitious or research-driven work.

Listing a tool isn't proving it

Here's the gap firms care about: anyone can list software on a résumé. Far fewer can demonstrate current proficiency. That's exactly why CFAeX exists — our skills exams, which we've run since 2001, give firms an objective read on what a candidate can actually do, and give you a credible way to back up what's on the page. In a market where everyone claims Revit, being able to prove it is the edge.

Learn about CFAeX skills assessments, or submit your portfolio to get in front of firms hiring for these skills now.