Architectural and civil drafters salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $46,260 | $22.24 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $66,150 | $31.80 |
| Mean (average) | $70,740 | $34.01 |
| 90th percentile | $99,710 | $47.94 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Architectural and civil drafters pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 53 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $57,100 | $39,040 | $77,630 | 1,010 | 0.71 |
| Alaska | Data unavailable | 220 | 1.02 | ||
| Arizona | $64,750 | $44,930 | $99,450 | 2,120 | 0.98 |
| Arkansas | $62,420 | $49,880 | $81,490 | 980 | 1.12 |
| California | $76,520 | $49,850 | $114,600 | 11,400 | 0.94 |
| Colorado | $76,370 | $48,980 | $107,990 | 3,570 | 1.86 |
| Connecticut | $76,290 | $51,220 | $90,590 | 810 | 0.72 |
| Delaware | $73,040 | $48,810 | $88,020 | 290 | 0.9 |
| District of Columbia | $97,880 | $67,850 | $120,190 | 370 | 0.8 |
| Florida | $62,640 | $43,680 | $95,150 | 7,530 | 1.14 |
| Georgia | $74,940 | $46,530 | $108,610 | 3,970 | 1.22 |
| Guam | $56,710 | $31,490 | $63,990 | 70 | 1.52 |
| Hawaii | $63,510 | $48,940 | $95,170 | 610 | 1.46 |
| Idaho | $61,840 | $45,490 | $97,080 | 1,010 | 1.77 |
| Illinois | $58,240 | $45,760 | $88,040 | 1,310 | 0.32 |
| Indiana | $60,000 | $43,430 | $93,560 | 2,240 | 1.05 |
| Iowa | $64,220 | $45,760 | $102,060 | 980 | 0.95 |
| Kansas | $62,220 | $41,950 | $86,380 | 630 | 0.65 |
| Kentucky | $60,120 | $38,780 | $86,530 | 870 | 0.65 |
| Louisiana | $61,010 | $43,700 | $107,130 | 1,040 | 0.8 |
| Maine | $66,200 | $48,450 | $93,810 | 440 | 1.02 |
| Maryland | $75,180 | $48,670 | $103,690 | 910 | 0.49 |
| Massachusetts | $76,990 | $56,850 | $102,660 | 2,660 | 1.1 |
| Michigan | $58,330 | $40,390 | $90,750 | 2,100 | 0.72 |
| Minnesota | $70,680 | $52,000 | $98,110 | 1,930 | 0.98 |
| Mississippi | $59,920 | $42,740 | $81,010 | 330 | 0.42 |
| Missouri | $61,940 | $44,760 | $90,200 | 2,270 | 1.16 |
| Montana | $65,750 | $48,810 | $84,480 | 600 | 1.75 |
| Nebraska | $61,550 | $46,580 | $87,260 | 850 | 1.24 |
| Nevada | $67,000 | $45,570 | $102,650 | 1,100 | 1.06 |
| New Hampshire | $65,300 | $52,740 | $90,710 | 400 | 0.88 |
| New Jersey | $62,960 | $44,700 | $96,120 | 2,280 | 0.8 |
| New Mexico | $50,230 | $42,560 | $81,000 | 690 | 1.18 |
| New York | $76,260 | $49,390 | $113,400 | 7,380 | 1.14 |
| North Carolina | $62,750 | $42,790 | $95,540 | 2,680 | 0.81 |
| North Dakota | $64,720 | $47,430 | $92,820 | 380 | 1.34 |
| Ohio | $61,450 | $44,700 | $87,160 | 2,860 | 0.77 |
| Oklahoma | $62,140 | $43,170 | $91,330 | 1,260 | 1.11 |
| Oregon | $74,000 | $57,020 | $98,410 | 1,490 | 1.13 |
| Pennsylvania | $64,800 | $46,740 | $96,680 | 5,370 | 1.33 |
| Puerto Rico | $44,720 | $31,920 | $58,990 | 690 | 1.11 |
| Rhode Island | $71,700 | $52,000 | $105,650 | 240 | 0.71 |
| South Carolina | $64,680 | $46,410 | $100,970 | 1,170 | 0.76 |
| South Dakota | $52,470 | $41,070 | $72,940 | 460 | 1.52 |
| Tennessee | $69,220 | $45,050 | $98,020 | 1,310 | 0.6 |
| Texas | $63,320 | $44,950 | $100,350 | 11,710 | 1.25 |
| Utah | $64,290 | $48,290 | $96,270 | 1,820 | 1.58 |
| Vermont | $61,000 | $47,410 | $78,930 | 230 | 1.12 |
| Virginia | $63,450 | $47,170 | $93,970 | 2,600 | 0.95 |
| Washington | $73,000 | $55,990 | $102,180 | 2,530 | 1.07 |
| West Virginia | $65,640 | $40,520 | $100,710 | 330 | 0.7 |
| Wisconsin | $62,930 | $48,840 | $96,830 | 2,200 | 1.12 |
| Wyoming | $63,730 | $51,080 | $78,470 | 200 | 1.06 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for architectural and civil drafters
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 9,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.4%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for architectural and civil drafters
- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Architectural Technology/Technician CIP 04.0901
- Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology CIP 04.0902
- Architectural Sciences and Technology, Other CIP 04.0999
- Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians CIP 15.0101
- Drafting and Design Technology/Technician, General CIP 15.1301
- CAD/CADD Drafting and/or Design Technology/Technician CIP 15.1302
- Architectural Drafting and Architectural CAD/CADD CIP 15.1303
- Civil Drafting and Civil Engineering CAD/CADD CIP 15.1304
- 3-D Modeling and Design Technology/Technician CIP 15.1307
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.
- Analyze building codes, by-laws, space and site requirements, and other technical documents and reports to determine their effect on architectural designs.
- Draw rough and detailed scale plans for foundations, buildings, and structures, based on preliminary concepts, sketches, engineering calculations, specification sheets, and other data.
- Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans.
- Explain drawings to production or construction teams and provide adjustments as necessary.
- Obtain and assemble data to complete architectural designs, visiting job sites to compile measurements as necessary.
- Lay out and plan interior room arrangements for commercial buildings, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment and software.
- Represent architect or engineer on construction site, ensuring builder compliance with design specifications and advising on design corrections, under supervision.
Technology skills
- Adobe Creative Cloud software (in demand)
- Adobe Illustrator (in demand)
- Adobe Photoshop (in demand)
- Autodesk AutoCAD (in demand)
- Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D (in demand)
- Autodesk Revit (in demand)
- Bentley MicroStation (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Trimble SketchUp Pro (in demand)
- Autodesk Navisworks (in demand)
- McNeel Rhinoceros 3D (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Persuasion.
Common job titles: Architectural Designer, Architectural Drafter, Architectural Draftsman, CAD Designer (Computer-Aided Design Designer), CAD Tech (Computer-Aided Design Technician), CADD Drafter (Computer-Aided Drafting and Design Drafter), Civil Drafter, Drafting Technician (Drafting Tech), Draftsman, Draftsperson.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do architectural and civil drafters make?
The national median annual wage for architectural and civil drafters was $66,150 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $46,260 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $99,710. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do architectural and civil drafters need?
BLS lists associate's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is architectural and civil drafters a growing career?
BLS projects employment of architectural and civil drafters to change +5.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 9,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay architectural and civil drafters the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($97,880), Massachusetts ($76,990), California ($76,520). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.