Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$46,260
- 25th Percentile — Junior$55,650
- 50th Percentile — Median$66,150
- 75th Percentile — Senior$80,870
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$99,710
The top 10% of Architectural and Civil Drafters earn $99,710 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $46,260, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $96,900 | +37.0% |
| Alaska (est.) | $93,377 | +32.0% |
| California | $80,360 | +13.6% |
| Colorado | $78,240 | +10.6% |
| New York | $78,160 | +10.5% |
| Massachusetts | $77,110 | +9.0% |
| Maryland | $75,990 | +7.4% |
| Georgia | $75,040 | +6.1% |
| Oregon | $74,430 | +5.2% |
| Washington | $74,420 | +5.2% |
| Rhode Island | $73,900 | +4.5% |
| Connecticut | $73,150 | +3.4% |
| Nevada | $72,990 | +3.2% |
| Minnesota | $72,220 | +2.1% |
| Tennessee | $70,720 | +0.0% |
| Delaware | $70,130 | -0.9% |
| Arizona | $69,550 | -1.7% |
| Utah | $69,460 | -1.8% |
| Iowa | $69,410 | -1.9% |
| Pennsylvania | $69,080 | -2.3% |
| New Hampshire | $68,940 | -2.5% |
| Wisconsin | $68,880 | -2.6% |
| Texas | $68,600 | -3.0% |
| Louisiana | $68,500 | -3.2% |
| South Carolina | $68,320 | -3.4% |
| West Virginia | $68,290 | -3.5% |
| Maine | $68,240 | -3.5% |
| Hawaii | $68,230 | -3.5% |
| New Jersey | $67,820 | -4.1% |
| North Dakota | $67,570 | -4.5% |
| Virginia | $67,510 | -4.6% |
| Montana | $67,500 | -4.6% |
| Idaho | $66,900 | -5.4% |
| Missouri | $66,460 | -6.1% |
| North Carolina | $66,430 | -6.1% |
| Nebraska | $65,950 | -6.8% |
| Arkansas | $65,910 | -6.8% |
| Florida | $65,550 | -7.3% |
| Wyoming | $64,460 | -8.9% |
| Oklahoma | $64,410 | -8.9% |
| Indiana | $64,350 | -9.0% |
| Ohio | $64,030 | -9.5% |
| Kansas | $63,790 | -9.8% |
| Illinois | $63,050 | -10.9% |
| Kentucky | $62,850 | -11.2% |
| Michigan | $62,210 | -12.1% |
| Vermont | $61,820 | -12.6% |
| Mississippi | $60,660 | -14.2% |
| Alabama | $57,890 | -18.2% |
| New Mexico | $57,740 | -18.4% |
| South Dakota | $55,530 | -21.5% |
What Factors Affect Architectural and Civil Drafters Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Architectural and Civil Drafters is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $96,900, while South Dakota pays $55,530 — a gap of $41,370 per year.
The middle half of Architectural and Civil Drafters earn between $55,650 and $80,870 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $46,260, while the top 10% earn more than $99,710.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Mechanical Engineers $113,610/yr United States +60.6% vs this role
- Civil Engineers $108,670/yr United States +53.6% vs this role
- Electrical Engineers $125,100/yr United States +76.8% vs this role
- Industrial Engineers $109,900/yr United States +55.4% vs this role
- Aerospace Engineers $142,060/yr United States +100.8% vs this role
- Chemical Engineers $129,980/yr United States +83.7% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +43.4% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +94.1% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Architectural and Civil Drafters?
The average salary for Architectural and Civil Drafters in the United States is $70,740 per year, with a median of $66,150.
What is the starting salary for Architectural and Civil Drafters?
Entry-level Architectural and Civil Drafters typically earn between $46,260 and $55,650 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Architectural and Civil Drafters the most?
District of Columbia pays Architectural and Civil Drafters the most at $96,900 per year on average, followed by California ($80,360) and Colorado ($78,240).
How much do Architectural and Civil Drafters make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $70,740, Architectural and Civil Drafters earn approximately $34.01 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Architectural and Civil Drafters a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 103,700 Architectural and Civil Drafters jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $70,740 and a median of $66,150 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
Related Salary Pages
Explore more salary data