Architectural and Civil Drafters Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for architectural and civil drafters is $66,150, or $31.80 per hour. About 103,700 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $97,880 in District of Columbia to $50,230 in New Mexico.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 50 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $97,880 | $47.06 | 370 | 0.80 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $76,990 | $37.02 | 2,660 | 1.10 |
| 3 | California | $76,520 | $36.79 | 11,400 | 0.94 |
| 4 | Colorado | $76,370 | $36.72 | 3,570 | 1.86 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $76,290 | $36.68 | 810 | 0.72 |
| 6 | New York | $76,260 | $36.66 | 7,380 | 1.14 |
| 7 | Maryland | $75,180 | $36.14 | 910 | 0.49 |
| 8 | Georgia | $74,940 | $36.03 | 3,970 | 1.22 |
| 9 | Oregon | $74,000 | $35.58 | 1,490 | 1.13 |
| 10 | Delaware | $73,040 | $35.12 | 290 | 0.90 |
| 11 | Washington | $73,000 | $35.10 | 2,530 | 1.07 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $71,700 | $34.47 | 240 | 0.71 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $70,680 | $33.98 | 1,930 | 0.98 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $69,220 | $33.28 | 1,310 | 0.60 |
| 15 | Nevada | $67,000 | $32.21 | 1,100 | 1.06 |
| 16 | Maine | $66,200 | $31.83 | 440 | 1.02 |
| 17 | Montana | $65,750 | $31.61 | 600 | 1.75 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $65,640 | $31.56 | 330 | 0.70 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $65,300 | $31.39 | 400 | 0.88 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $64,800 | $31.15 | 5,370 | 1.33 |
| 21 | Arizona | $64,750 | $31.13 | 2,120 | 0.98 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $64,720 | $31.12 | 380 | 1.34 |
| 23 | South Carolina | $64,680 | $31.09 | 1,170 | 0.76 |
| 24 | Utah | $64,290 | $30.91 | 1,820 | 1.58 |
| 25 | Iowa | $64,220 | $30.87 | 980 | 0.95 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $63,730 | $30.64 | 200 | 1.06 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $63,510 | $30.53 | 610 | 1.46 |
| 28 | Virginia | $63,450 | $30.51 | 2,600 | 0.95 |
| 29 | Texas | $63,320 | $30.44 | 11,710 | 1.25 |
| 30 | New Jersey | $62,960 | $30.27 | 2,280 | 0.80 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $62,930 | $30.25 | 2,200 | 1.12 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $62,750 | $30.17 | 2,680 | 0.81 |
| 33 | Florida | $62,640 | $30.12 | 7,530 | 1.14 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $62,420 | $30.01 | 980 | 1.12 |
| 35 | Kansas | $62,220 | $29.91 | 630 | 0.65 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $62,140 | $29.88 | 1,260 | 1.11 |
| 37 | Missouri | $61,940 | $29.78 | 2,270 | 1.16 |
| 38 | Idaho | $61,840 | $29.73 | 1,010 | 1.77 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $61,550 | $29.59 | 850 | 1.24 |
| 40 | Ohio | $61,450 | $29.54 | 2,860 | 0.77 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $61,010 | $29.33 | 1,040 | 0.80 |
| 42 | Vermont | $61,000 | $29.33 | 230 | 1.12 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $60,120 | $28.91 | 870 | 0.65 |
| 44 | Indiana | $60,000 | $28.85 | 2,240 | 1.05 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $59,920 | $28.81 | 330 | 0.42 |
| 46 | Michigan | $58,330 | $28.04 | 2,100 | 0.72 |
| 47 | Illinois | $58,240 | $28.00 | 1,310 | 0.32 |
| 48 | Alabama | $57,100 | $27.45 | 1,010 | 0.71 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $52,470 | $25.23 | 460 | 1.52 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $50,230 | $24.15 | 690 | 1.18 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do architectural and civil drafters make?
The median annual wage for architectural and civil drafters in the United States is $66,150, or $31.80 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $46,260, and the top 10% earn $99,710.
How many architectural and civil drafters are employed in the U.S.?
About 103,700 people work as architectural and civil drafters nationwide.
Which state pays architectural and civil drafters the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $97,880, followed by Massachusetts ($76,990) and California ($76,520).
Which state pays architectural and civil drafters the least?
New Mexico has the lowest median at $50,230.
Where are architectural and civil drafters jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Colorado at 1.86×.