Average Salary for Architectural and Civil Drafters
SOC 17-3011 · Architecture and Engineering Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Architectural and Civil Drafters in the United States is $64,280 ($30.90/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $44,040 at the 10th percentile to $98,190 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 109,550 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 28.6% since 2014.
Median Annual
$64,280
Mean Annual
$68,860
10th Pct
$44,040
75th Pct
$79,510
Employment
109,550
Salary Distribution
$44k
10th
$53k
25th
$64k
Median
$80k
75th
$98k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | $103,710 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $80,690 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $79,770 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $78,990 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $78,390 |
| Boulder, CO | $78,280 |
| Rochester, MN | $78,160 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $77,540 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $77,270 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $77,050 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $77,040 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $76,790 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $76,550 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $76,370 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $75,770 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $88,430 |
| Alaska | $85,700 |
| Colorado | $76,960 |
| Massachusetts | $75,850 |
| New York | $74,760 |
| California | $74,390 |
| Louisiana | $72,580 |
| Maryland | $71,810 |
| Nevada | $71,460 |
| Maine | $70,760 |
| Montana | $68,010 |
| North Dakota | $68,010 |
| Oregon | $67,430 |
| Minnesota | $67,150 |
| Connecticut | $66,920 |
| Rhode Island | $66,820 |
| Georgia | $65,220 |
| Washington | $65,140 |
| Tennessee | $64,980 |
| Hawaii | $64,110 |
| Virginia | $64,100 |
| West Virginia | $63,880 |
| Iowa | $63,640 |
| North Carolina | $63,590 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,370 |
| Oklahoma | $63,050 |
| South Carolina | $62,890 |
| Wyoming | $62,360 |
| Utah | $62,350 |
| Missouri | $62,290 |
| Wisconsin | $62,260 |
| Delaware | $62,230 |
| New Hampshire | $62,090 |
| Texas | $61,530 |
| Arizona | $61,460 |
| Florida | $61,080 |
| Kansas | $60,940 |
| Indiana | $60,860 |
| Ohio | $60,540 |
| Vermont | $60,470 |
| Arkansas | $60,390 |
| Nebraska | $60,240 |
| New Mexico | $59,050 |
| Idaho | $58,690 |
| Michigan | $57,990 |
| Mississippi | $57,570 |
| New Jersey | $57,240 |
| Illinois | $56,580 |
| Alabama | $56,030 |
| Kentucky | $54,260 |
| South Dakota | $53,060 |
| Guam | $47,420 |
| Puerto Rico | $35,300 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Architectural and Civil Drafters broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | $131,590 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | $131,590 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors | $131,020 |
| Hospitals | $104,200 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $101,410 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors | $86,490 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $86,290 |
| Facilities Support Services | $85,860 |
| Utilities | $83,240 |
| Utilities | $83,240 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $82,490 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $81,830 |
| Natural Gas Distribution | $80,350 |
| Building Finishing Contractors | $80,110 |
| Office Administrative Services | $78,590 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | $78,520 |
| Other Building Equipment Contractors | $78,410 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $77,460 |
| Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) | $77,240 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | $77,240 |
| Land Subdivision | $76,040 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | $75,680 |
| Real Estate | $75,240 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $75,070 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $74,270 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $74,270 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $74,270 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $73,780 |
| Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $73,780 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | $73,540 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | $73,410 |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | $72,900 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $71,950 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $71,950 |
| Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors | $71,220 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | $71,040 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | $70,950 |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | $70,940 |
| Machine Shops | $70,940 |
| Specialized Design Services | $70,450 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | $69,760 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $69,350 |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $68,020 |
| Construction | $67,760 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $67,390 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $67,200 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $66,250 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $66,150 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $66,150 |
| Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $65,800 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $65,650 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $65,650 |
| Construction of Buildings | $65,430 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | $64,990 |
| Engineering Services | $64,840 |
| Employment Services | $64,820 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | $64,780 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $64,280 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $64,040 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $64,020 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $64,020 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $63,970 |
| Residential Building Construction | $63,610 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $63,390 |
| Temporary Help Services | $63,040 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | $63,030 |
| Telecommunications | $62,240 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | $62,240 |
| Roofing Contractors | $62,130 |
| Manufacturing | $62,020 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $61,930 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $61,900 |
| Testing Laboratories and Services | $61,730 |
| Wholesale Trade | $61,680 |
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | $61,340 |
| Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | $61,300 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | $61,250 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | $61,250 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | $61,100 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | $61,040 |
| Repair and Maintenance | $61,040 |
| Furniture, Home Furnishings, Electronics, and Appliance Retailers | $60,990 |
| Furniture and Home Furnishings Retailers | $60,990 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $60,940 |
| Information | $60,800 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $60,710 |
| Educational Services | $60,710 |
| Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors | $60,590 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing | $60,410 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $59,610 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | $59,360 |
| Other Support Services | $59,140 |
| Educational Services | $58,890 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | $58,280 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | $57,280 |
| Retail Trade | $55,920 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $55,350 |
| Utility System Construction | $55,040 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing | $54,950 |
| Masonry Contractors | $54,830 |
| Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers | $53,360 |
| Landscaping Services | $52,700 |
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings | $52,700 |
| Building Material and Supplies Dealers | $52,530 |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | $51,900 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | $51,900 |
| Farm and Garden Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers | $51,680 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $51,600 |
| Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction | $49,880 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $64,280 |
| 2023 | $61,820 |
| 2022 | $59,820 |
| 2021 | $60,340 |
| 2020 | $57,500 |
| 2019 | $56,340 |
| 2018 | $54,920 |
| 2017 | $52,870 |
| 2016 | $51,640 |
| 2015 | $50,710 |
| 2014 | $49,970 |