Architectural and Civil Drafters salary
Engineering · OCC code 17-3011 · gross annual wage · BLS OEWS May 2024
Architectural and Civil Drafters in the US earn a median of $64,280 per year (mean $68,860) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey — that is +29.9% versus the $49,500 median for all US jobs, above the US median wage for all jobs. The middle half earn between $52,880 and $79,510; the top 10% earn $98,190 or more. The median hourly wage is $30.90. About 109,550 are employed nationally. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia ($88,430). Wages are gross (pre-tax) and vary by employer, experience and location.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Architectural and Civil Drafters pay range (national percentiles)
What architectural and civil drafters earn across the pay distribution, nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2024):
| Pay level | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-paid 10%) | $44,040 |
| 25th percentile | $52,880 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $64,280 |
| Mean (average) | $68,860 |
| 75th percentile | $79,510 |
| 90th percentile (highest-paid 10%) | $98,190 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
A dash (—) means BLS did not release that figure; a plus (+) means the wage is at or above the BLS top code of $239,200/yr. See what wage percentiles mean or check where your salary ranks.
Architectural and Civil Drafters salary by state
Median and mean wage for architectural and civil drafters in each of the 51 states with published data, highest median first. The national median is $64,280.
| # | State | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $88,430 | $91,670 | 540 |
| 2 | Alaska | $85,700 | $92,900 | 120 |
| 3 | Colorado | $76,960 | $79,180 | 3,300 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $75,850 | $73,270 | 2,730 |
| 5 | New York | $74,760 | $76,850 | 8,010 |
| 6 | California | $74,390 | $78,750 | 12,950 |
| 7 | Louisiana | $72,580 | $79,860 | 1,180 |
| 8 | Maryland | $71,810 | $72,020 | 1,030 |
| 9 | Nevada | $71,460 | $74,710 | 1,310 |
| 10 | Maine | $70,760 | $67,970 | 690 |
| 11 | Montana | $68,010 | $67,880 | 540 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $68,010 | $67,920 | 320 |
| 13 | Oregon | $67,430 | $71,960 | 1,440 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $67,150 | $71,550 | 2,440 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $66,920 | $67,170 | 740 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $66,820 | $73,590 | 240 |
| 17 | Georgia | $65,220 | $73,370 | 3,480 |
| 18 | Washington | $65,140 | $71,710 | 1,910 |
| 19 | Tennessee | $64,980 | $66,520 | 1,410 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $64,110 | $64,910 | 640 |
| 21 | Virginia | $64,100 | $66,830 | 2,320 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $63,880 | $66,110 | 330 |
| 23 | Iowa | $63,640 | $65,100 | 900 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $63,590 | $66,680 | 3,140 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $63,370 | $66,640 | 5,230 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $63,050 | $65,830 | 1,530 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $62,890 | $65,200 | 1,610 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $62,360 | $62,500 | 190 |
| 29 | Utah | $62,350 | $65,800 | 1,600 |
| 30 | Missouri | $62,290 | $65,680 | 2,420 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $62,260 | $66,940 | 2,060 |
| 32 | Delaware | $62,230 | $64,010 | 390 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $62,090 | $64,850 | 400 |
| 34 | Texas | $61,530 | $65,790 | 13,480 |
| 35 | Arizona | $61,460 | $64,240 | 2,600 |
| 36 | Florida | $61,080 | $62,660 | 8,140 |
| 37 | Kansas | $60,940 | $63,490 | 660 |
| 38 | Indiana | $60,860 | $63,430 | 1,700 |
| 39 | Ohio | $60,540 | $63,570 | 3,260 |
| 40 | Vermont | $60,470 | $65,410 | 280 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $60,390 | $61,200 | 820 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $60,240 | $63,520 | 770 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $59,050 | $59,790 | 340 |
| 44 | Idaho | $58,690 | $61,430 | 1,110 |
| 45 | Michigan | $57,990 | $59,730 | 2,120 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $57,570 | $61,310 | 380 |
| 47 | New Jersey | $57,240 | $61,350 | 1,990 |
| 48 | Illinois | $56,580 | $61,260 | 1,760 |
| 49 | Alabama | $56,030 | $56,390 | 1,350 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $54,260 | $59,190 | 1,220 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $53,060 | $54,450 | 440 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Highest median: District of Columbia ($88,430). Lowest: South Dakota ($53,060).
Similar-paying jobs
| Occupation | Median wage | Mean wage | vs US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Civil Drafters (this job) | $64,280 | $68,860 | +29.9% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $64,580 | $73,700 | +30.5% |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | $65,140 | $71,520 | +31.6% |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $62,970 | $69,940 | +27.2% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $66,140 | $71,560 | +33.6% |
| Electricians | $62,350 | $69,630 | +26.0% |
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education · Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors · Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters · First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers · Electricians
Frequently asked questions
How much do architectural and civil drafters make?
Architectural and Civil Drafters earn a national median of $64,280 per year (mean $68,860) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey. The middle half earn between $52,880 (25th percentile) and $79,510 (75th percentile); the top 10% earn $98,190 or more and the bottom 10% earn under $44,040. These are gross, pre-tax wages.
What is the hourly wage for architectural and civil drafters?
The median hourly wage is $30.90 and the mean is $33.11 (BLS OEWS, May 2024). BLS reports some occupations only as annual wages, in which case hourly figures are shown as a dash.
Which state pays architectural and civil drafters the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median wage for architectural and civil drafters at $88,430, versus a national median of $64,280. State pay reflects local cost of living, demand and industry mix. See the full state table on this page.
How many architectural and civil drafters are there in the US?
BLS estimates about 109,550 architectural and civil drafters are employed in the US (OEWS, May 2024). Among the 124 occupations tracked here, this job ranks #76 of 124 by median pay.
Keep exploring
Sources & accuracy
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 (OCC 17-3011), gross annual wages, U.S. public domain, retrieved June 2026. OEWS figures are survey estimates and reflect pay before tax. Your actual pay depends on employer, experience, certifications, industry and location. This is information, not financial or career advice — see our methodology and disclaimer.
Last updated: 2026-06-20