Best states for an architectural drafter

Q: What is the best state for architectural drafters?

The best state to be an architectural drafter is Oregon based on architectural drafter salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for architectural drafters?

The highest paying state for architectural drafters is Alabama based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for architectural drafters?

The worst state for architectural drafters is Louisiana, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Architectural drafter opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for architectural drafters, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for architectural drafters.Our research shows that Oregon is the best state in the country for architectural drafters.

In order to get you the best states for architectural drafters, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.We found that Oregon is the best state for architectural drafter jobs, whereas Louisiana is the worst.

10 best states for architectural drafters in 2026

1. Oregon
Total architectural drafter jobs: 77
Average annual salary: $54,507
Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000
Location Quotient:
1.7
Architectural drafter jobs in Oregon
2. Washington
Total architectural drafter jobs: 95
Average annual salary: $54,604
Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Location Quotient:
1.19
Architectural drafter jobs in Washington
3. Rhode Island
Total architectural drafter jobs: 6
Average annual salary: $59,363
Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000
Location Quotient:
0.45
Architectural drafter jobs in Rhode Island
4. Massachusetts
Total architectural drafter jobs: 78
Average annual salary: $56,008
Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000
Location Quotient:
0.78
Architectural drafter jobs in Massachusetts
5. Vermont
Total architectural drafter jobs: 1
Average annual salary: $59,188
Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000
Location Quotient:
0.12
Architectural drafter jobs in Vermont
6. Arizona
Total architectural drafter jobs: 104
Average annual salary: $50,237
Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000
Location Quotient:
1.63
Architectural drafter jobs in Arizona
7. District of Columbia
Total architectural drafter jobs: 23
Average annual salary: $57,992
Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000
Location Quotient:
1.25
Architectural drafter jobs in District of Columbia
8. Illinois
Total architectural drafter jobs: 88
Average annual salary: $55,402
Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000
Location Quotient:
0.68
Architectural drafter jobs in Illinois
9. Indiana
Total architectural drafter jobs: 77
Average annual salary: $49,716
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000
Location Quotient:
1.07
Architectural drafter jobs in Indiana
10. North Dakota
Total architectural drafter jobs: 5
Average annual salary: $54,278
Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Location Quotient:
0.49
Architectural drafter jobs in North Dakota

Architectural drafter jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be an architectural drafter

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for an architectural drafter

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Oregon	$54,507	$42,000	4,142,776	77
2	Washington	$54,604	$43,000	7,405,743	95
3	Rhode Island	$59,363	$43,000	1,059,639	6
4	Massachusetts	$56,008	$41,000	6,859,819	78
5	Vermont	$59,188	$43,000	623,657	1
6	Arizona	$50,237	$38,000	7,016,270	104
7	District of Columbia	$57,992	$42,000	693,972	23
8	Illinois	$55,402	$41,000	12,802,023	88
9	Indiana	$49,716	$37,000	6,666,818	77
10	North Dakota	$54,278	$43,000	755,393	5
11	California	$55,958	$42,000	39,536,653	330
12	Tennessee	$49,390	$37,000	6,715,984	58
13	Montana	$51,526	$41,000	1,050,493	11
14	New Jersey	$56,096	$40,000	9,005,644	64
15	Pennsylvania	$49,427	$35,000	12,805,537	131
16	Colorado	$51,540	$40,000	5,607,154	76
17	Utah	$48,681	$37,000	3,101,833	47
18	West Virginia	$51,767	$38,000	1,815,857	0
19	New Hampshire	$52,151	$38,000	1,342,795	5
20	Kentucky	$50,156	$37,000	4,454,189	20
21	Wisconsin	$47,301	$35,000	5,795,483	117
22	Maryland	$53,733	$39,000	6,052,177	56
23	New York	$55,054	$40,000	19,849,399	71
24	South Carolina	$48,362	$35,000	5,024,369	45
25	Nevada	$48,790	$37,000	2,998,039	16
26	South Dakota	$49,835	$39,000	869,666	2
27	Connecticut	$51,578	$37,000	3,588,184	25
28	Missouri	$48,643	$37,000	6,113,532	54
29	Oklahoma	$48,976	$37,000	3,930,864	12
30	Iowa	$45,493	$35,000	3,145,711	45
31	New Mexico	$47,156	$35,000	2,088,070	20
32	Alaska	$46,417	$41,000	739,795	12
33	North Carolina	$47,302	$34,000	10,273,419	83
34	Hawaii	$53,168	$44,000	1,427,538	6
35	Ohio	$46,488	$34,000	11,658,609	80
36	Minnesota	$45,971	$35,000	5,576,606	99
37	Maine	$46,527	$34,000	1,335,907	13
38	Delaware	$48,604	$35,000	961,939	7
39	Nebraska	$44,997	$35,000	1,920,076	22
40	Georgia	$44,741	$33,000	10,429,379	333
41	Texas	$45,673	$34,000	28,304,596	203
42	Florida	$45,267	$33,000	20,984,400	249
43	Wyoming	$45,748	$36,000	579,315	4
44	Virginia	$46,631	$33,000	8,470,020	89
45	Idaho	$44,875	$35,000	1,716,943	14
46	Arkansas	$44,700	$34,000	3,004,279	12
47	Kansas	$43,897	$33,000	2,913,123	22
48	Michigan	$42,990	$31,000	9,962,311	60
49	Alabama	$38,539	$28,000	4,874,747	43
50	Mississippi	$41,511	$31,000	2,984,100	3
51	Louisiana	$41,525	$31,000	4,684,333	8

Highest paying states for architectural drafters

Rank	State	Avg. Architectural Drafter Salary
1	Oregon	$54,507
2	Washington	$54,604
3	Rhode Island	$59,363
4	Massachusetts	$56,008
5	Vermont	$59,188
6	Arizona	$50,237
7	District of Columbia	$57,992
8	Illinois	$55,402
9	Indiana	$49,716
10	North Dakota	$54,278
11	California	$55,958
12	Tennessee	$49,390
13	Montana	$51,526
14	New Jersey	$56,096
15	Pennsylvania	$49,427
16	Colorado	$51,540
17	Utah	$48,681
18	West Virginia	$51,767
19	New Hampshire	$52,151
20	Kentucky	$50,156
21	Wisconsin	$47,301
22	Maryland	$53,733
23	New York	$55,054
24	South Carolina	$48,362
25	Nevada	$48,790
26	South Dakota	$49,835
27	Connecticut	$51,578
28	Missouri	$48,643
29	Oklahoma	$48,976
30	Iowa	$45,493
31	New Mexico	$47,156
32	Alaska	$46,417
33	North Carolina	$47,302
34	Hawaii	$53,168
35	Ohio	$46,488
36	Minnesota	$45,971
37	Maine	$46,527
38	Delaware	$48,604
39	Nebraska	$44,997
40	Georgia	$44,741
41	Texas	$45,673
42	Florida	$45,267
43	Wyoming	$45,748
44	Virginia	$46,631
45	Idaho	$44,875
46	Arkansas	$44,700
47	Kansas	$43,897
48	Michigan	$42,990
49	Alabama	$38,539
50	Mississippi	$41,511
51	Louisiana	$41,525

Architectural drafter best states FAQs

What is the best state for architectural drafters?

What is the highest paying state for architectural drafters?

What is the worst state for architectural drafters?

Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.

Search for architectural drafter jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse architecture and engineering jobs

Total architectural drafter jobs:	77
Average annual salary:	$54,507
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$42,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$69,000
Location Quotient:	1.7

Best states for an architectural drafter

10 best states for architectural drafters in 2026

1. Oregon

2. Washington

3. Rhode Island

4. Massachusetts

5. Vermont

6. Arizona

7. District of Columbia

8. Illinois

9. Indiana

10. North Dakota