Home › Architecture and Engineering Occupations › Architectural and Civil Drafters

Architectural and Civil Drafters salary in the U.S.

Architectural and Civil Drafters in the U.S. earn a median of $66,150 a year ($31.80 an hour), based on BLS data for 103,700 workers.

Median salary
$66,150
Hourly
$31.80
Average
$70,740
Top 10% earn
$99,710
Workers
103,700

Pay ranges from $46,260 for the lowest-paid 10% to $99,710 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $70,740, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.

Pay range for architectural and civil drafters in the U.S.

$0$110,000
Pay levelYearlyHourly
10th percentile (entry level)$46,260$22.24
25th percentile$55,650$26.76
Median$66,150$31.80
75th percentile$80,870$38.88
90th percentile (top earners)$99,710$47.94
Average (mean)$70,740$34.01

Half of architectural and civil drafters earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.

Median paycheck, before taxes

Pay periodAmount
Monthly$5,512.50
Semi-monthly (24 a year)$2,756.25
Biweekly (26 a year)$2,544.23
Weekly$1,272.12
Hourly$31.80

Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.

Architectural and Civil Drafters salary by state

StateMedian salaryWorkers
District of Columbia$97,880370
Massachusetts$76,9902,660
California$76,52011,400
Colorado$76,3703,570
Connecticut$76,290810
New York$76,2607,380
Maryland$75,180910
Georgia$74,9403,970
Oregon$74,0001,490
Delaware$73,040290
Washington$73,0002,530
Rhode Island$71,700240
Minnesota$70,6801,930
Tennessee$69,2201,310
Nevada$67,0001,100
Maine$66,200440
Montana$65,750600
West Virginia$65,640330
New Hampshire$65,300400
Pennsylvania$64,8005,370
Arizona$64,7502,120
North Dakota$64,720380
South Carolina$64,6801,170
Utah$64,2901,820
Iowa$64,220980
Wyoming$63,730200
Hawaii$63,510610
Virginia$63,4502,600
Texas$63,32011,710
New Jersey$62,9602,280
Wisconsin$62,9302,200
North Carolina$62,7502,680
Florida$62,6407,530
Arkansas$62,420980
Kansas$62,220630
Oklahoma$62,1401,260
Missouri$61,9402,270
Idaho$61,8401,010
Nebraska$61,550850
Ohio$61,4502,860
Louisiana$61,0101,040
Vermont$61,000230
Kentucky$60,120870
Indiana$60,0002,240
Mississippi$59,920330
Michigan$58,3302,100
Illinois$58,2401,310
Alabama$57,1001,010
Guam$56,71070
South Dakota$52,470460
New Mexico$50,230690
Puerto Rico$44,720690

Best-paying metro areas for architectural and civil drafters

Metro areaMedian salaryWorkers
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$84,440110
Rochester, MN$83,78060
Waterbury-Shelton, CT$83,63040
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,820610
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$81,1301,750
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$80,040150
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$79,8602,120
Lake Charles, LA$79,54050
Dalton, GA$79,41040
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$79,3102,150
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$78,3401,130
Lexington Park, MD$78,01040
Chico, CA$77,85070
Manhattan, KS$77,81040
Helena, MT$77,32090

Metro areas with the most architectural and civil drafters

Metro areaWorkersMedian salary
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ6,710$77,170
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX4,130$63,120
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA3,890$76,630
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX3,360$66,890
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA2,170$74,180
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH2,150$79,310
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO2,120$79,860
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD2,110$67,020
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA1,750$81,130
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL1,740$61,720
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ1,690$65,310
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV1,610$76,020
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA1,520$75,830
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI1,390$72,020
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL1,320$63,120

Related jobs in the U.S.

JobMedian salaryHourly
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$78,190$37.59
Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$66,120$31.79
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$64,950$31.23
Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$78,350$37.67
Surveying and Mapping Technicians$54,240$26.08
Mechanical Drafter$71,550$34.40
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,510$35.82
Electrical and Electronics Drafters$76,870$36.96
Calibration Technologists and Technicians$67,820$32.61
Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians$73,900$35.53
Drafters, All Other$63,520$30.54
Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians$59,920$28.81
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians$82,890$39.85
Civil Engineer$100,840$48.48

More: Architecture and Engineering Occupations

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 17-3011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a architectural and civil drafters make in the U.S.?

The median salary for architectural and civil drafters in the U.S. is $66,150 a year, or $31.80 an hour. Pay ranges from $46,260 for the lowest-paid 10% to $99,710 for the top 10%.

How much do the highest-paid architectural and civil drafters make in the U.S.?

The top 10% of architectural and civil drafters in the U.S. earn at least $99,710 a year. The top 25% earn $80,870 or more.

What is the starting pay for architectural and civil drafters in the U.S.?

Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $46,260 a year, and a quarter of architectural and civil drafters earn $55,650 or less.

How many architectural and civil drafters work in the U.S.?

About 103,700 architectural and civil drafters are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.