The average salary for a drafter in District of Columbia is around $97,880 per year.
Avg Salary
Drafters earn an average yearly salary of $97,880.
Wages typically start from $67,850 and go up to $120,190.
8% above national average Updated in 2025
Drafter earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level drafter earnings begin at:
$57.79 per hour
$120,190 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level drafter earnings begin at:
$56.97 per hour
$118,490 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level drafter earnings begin at:
$47.06 per hour
$97,880 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level drafter earnings begin at:
$37.96 per hour
$78,960 per year
10th percentile
Starting level drafter earnings begin at:
$32.62 per hour
$67,850 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Drafter salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $97,880 |
| Massachusetts | $76,990 |
| California | $76,520 |
| Alaska | $76,470 |
| Colorado | $76,370 |
| Connecticut | $76,290 |
| New York | $76,260 |
| Maryland | $75,180 |
| Georgia | $74,940 |
| Oregon | $74,000 |
| Delaware | $73,040 |
| Washington | $73,000 |
| Rhode Island | $71,700 |
| Minnesota | $70,680 |
| Tennessee | $69,220 |
| Nevada | $67,000 |
| Maine | $66,200 |
| Montana | $65,750 |
| West Virginia | $65,640 |
| New Hampshire | $65,300 |
| Pennsylvania | $64,800 |
| Arizona | $64,750 |
| North Dakota | $64,720 |
| South Carolina | $64,680 |
| Utah | $64,290 |
| Iowa | $64,220 |
| Wyoming | $63,730 |
| Hawaii | $63,510 |
| Virginia | $63,450 |
| Texas | $63,320 |
| New Jersey | $62,960 |
| Wisconsin | $62,930 |
| North Carolina | $62,750 |
| Florida | $62,640 |
| Arkansas | $62,420 |
| Kansas | $62,220 |
| Oklahoma | $62,140 |
| Missouri | $61,940 |
| Idaho | $61,840 |
| Nebraska | $61,550 |
| Ohio | $61,450 |
| Louisiana | $61,010 |
| Vermont | $61,000 |
| Kentucky | $60,120 |
| Indiana | $60,000 |
| Mississippi | $59,920 |
| Michigan | $58,330 |
| Illinois | $58,240 |
| Alabama | $57,100 |
| South Dakota | $52,470 |
| New Mexico | $50,230 |
| Guam | $47,120 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,000 |
How do drafter salaries compare to similar careers?
Drafters earn about the same as related careers in District of Columbia. On average, they make less than printing workers but more than plumbers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Printing worker salary | $117K |
| Property manager salary | $94K |
| Interior designer salary | $98K |
| Biomedical engineer salary | $101K |
| Real estate agent salary | $124K |
| Drafter salary | $98K |
| Graphic designer salary | $88K |
| Building inspector salary | $86K |
| Pipefitter salary | $101K |
| Plumber salary | $101K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)