Architectural and Civil Drafters · Virginia

Architectural and Civil Drafters Salary in Virginia

Architectural and Civil Drafters in Virginia earn a median annual wage of $63,450 —4.1% below the national median of $66,150. That ranks VA #28 of 50 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$63,450
Median hourly
$30.51
Entry level (P10)
$47,170
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$93,970
90th percentile
Employment
2,600
0.6 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-4.1%
U.S. $66,150

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$47,170
$53,940
$63,450
$76,800
$47,170$63,450$93,970
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $63,450.

Employment concentration (0.95×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for architectural and civil drafters

All 50 states ranked by median annual wage. Virginia is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1District of Columbia$97,880$47.063700.80
2Massachusetts$76,990$37.022,6601.10
3California$76,520$36.7911,4000.94
4Colorado$76,370$36.723,5701.86
5Connecticut$76,290$36.688100.72
6New York$76,260$36.667,3801.14
7Maryland$75,180$36.149100.49
8Georgia$74,940$36.033,9701.22
9Oregon$74,000$35.581,4901.13
10Delaware$73,040$35.122900.90

Related occupations in Virginia

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Virginia.

OccupationVirginia medianU.S. median
Civil Engineers$97,120$100,840
Industrial Engineers$102,550$102,440
Mechanical Engineers$104,180$104,110
Electrical Engineers$119,030$120,630
Engineers, All Other$148,160$122,930
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$97,680$99,280

Frequently asked questions

How much do architectural and civil drafters make in Virginia?

The median annual wage for architectural and civil drafters in Virginia is $63,450, or $30.51 per hour. That is 4.1% below the national median of $66,150.

What is the entry-level architectural and civil drafters salary in Virginia?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $47,170 per year ($22.68/hour). The 25th percentile is $53,940.

How many people work as architectural and civil drafters in Virginia?

About 2,600 people work in this occupation in Virginia, or 0.6 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Virginia a good state for architectural and civil drafters?

Virginia ranks #28 of 50 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (0.95x) is close to the national average.

Which state pays architectural and civil drafters the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median wage at $97,880 per year, followed by Massachusetts ($76,990) and California ($76,520).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes