The average salary for a drafter in the United States is around $44,557 per year.
Avg Salary
Drafters earn an average yearly salary of $44,557.
Wages typically start from $28,628 and go up to $69,348.
29% below national average Updated in 2023
Drafter earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level drafter earnings begin at:
$33.34 per hour
$69,348 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level drafter earnings begin at:
$27.04 per hour
$56,238 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level drafter earnings begin at:
$21.42 per hour
$44,557 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level drafter earnings begin at:
$16.97 per hour
$35,302 per year
10th percentile
Starting level drafter earnings begin at:
$13.76 per hour
$28,628 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Drafter salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $76,470 |
| Massachusetts | $62,880 |
| District of Columbia | $62,230 |
| Maryland | $62,230 |
| California | $61,820 |
| Illinois | $61,760 |
| Ohio | $61,650 |
| Colorado | $61,610 |
| Washington | $61,170 |
| Connecticut | $60,980 |
| Hawaii | $60,980 |
| New Jersey | $60,980 |
| New York | $60,850 |
| Vermont | $60,780 |
| Nevada | $60,670 |
| Minnesota | $60,640 |
| Rhode Island | $60,460 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,380 |
| Georgia | $60,360 |
| Arizona | $60,220 |
| New Hampshire | $60,220 |
| South Carolina | $59,950 |
| Delaware | $59,330 |
| Oregon | $59,330 |
| Wisconsin | $59,330 |
| Iowa | $59,240 |
| Texas | $59,110 |
| Tennessee | $58,730 |
| North Carolina | $58,410 |
| Virginia | $58,110 |
| West Virginia | $57,780 |
| Maine | $57,260 |
| Missouri | $56,400 |
| Louisiana | $55,760 |
| Indiana | $54,830 |
| New Mexico | $49,930 |
| Alabama | $49,770 |
| Arkansas | $49,320 |
| Oklahoma | $49,250 |
| Florida | $48,720 |
| Montana | $48,680 |
| North Dakota | $48,670 |
| Nebraska | $48,670 |
| Wyoming | $48,670 |
| Kansas | $48,460 |
| Utah | $48,460 |
| Michigan | $48,410 |
| Kentucky | $47,840 |
| Idaho | $47,600 |
| Guam | $47,120 |
| Mississippi | $46,880 |
| South Dakota | $44,680 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,000 |
How do drafter salaries compare to similar careers?
Drafters earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than geothermal technicians but more than industrial engineering technicians.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Geothermal technician salary | $46K |
| Property manager salary | $46K |
| Online merchant salary | $44K |
| Surveyor salary | $46K |
| Logistician salary | $45K |
| Drafter salary | $45K |
| Desktop publisher salary | $44K |
| Ironworker salary | $44K |
| Heavy equipment operator salary | $45K |
| Industrial engineering technician salary | $44K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)