How to hire an architectural drafter

Architectural drafter hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring architectural drafters in the United States:

In the United States, the median cost per hire an architectural drafter is $1,633.
It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new architectural drafter to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire an architectural drafter, step by step

To hire an architectural drafter, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire an architectural drafter:

Here's a step-by-step architectural drafter hiring guide:

Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
Step 3: Make a budget
Step 4: Write an architectural drafter job description
Step 5: Post your job
Step 6: Interview candidates
Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new architectural drafter
Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an architectural drafter do?

Architectural drafters are skilled professionals who work alongside architects and engineers to craft technical drawings of construction projects. They use computer software to render technical models of designs made by architects. They create these designs in great detail to ensure that everything is captured perfectly. Architectural drafters may specialize in different design areas, such as building or infrastructure type and materials used for construction. Architectural drafters need to visit the site for a better appreciation of the project. They may also use this time to coordinate with engineers and architects.

Learn more about the specifics of what an architectural drafter does

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Identify your hiring needs

First, determine the employments status of the architectural drafter you need to hire. Certain architectural drafter roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

Determine employee vs contractor status

Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an architectural drafter to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an architectural drafter that fits the bill.

The following list breaks down different types of architectural drafters and their corresponding salaries.

Type of Architectural Drafter	Description	Hourly rate
Architectural Drafter	Drafters use software to convert the designs of engineers and architects into technical drawings. Most workers specialize in architectural, civil, electrical, or mechanical drafting and use technical drawings to help design everything from microchips to skyscrapers.	$17-31
Computer Aided Design Designer	A computer-aided design (CAD) designer is responsible for creating plan outlines and project designs for a specific business need. A CAD designer utilizes various technologies and software applications to generate graphic illustrations... Show more	$19-42
Truss Designer	A truss designer's major responsibility is to design layouts for floors and roofs. They work with architects and engineers to ensure the feasibility of new designs... Show more	$17-33

Create an ideal candidate profile
Common skills:
- Revit
- Construction Drawings
- Architectural Drawings
- Shop Drawings
- Sketch
- Building Codes
- Schematic Design
- Design Development
- SketchUp
- Aided Design
- Adobe Photoshop
- Red Lines
- Commercial Buildings
- MEP
Check all skills
Responsibilities:
- Lead the development of BIM modeling content for the architecture team as a direct report to the executive and lead architects.
- Prepare plumbing schematics and as-built.
- Utilize AutoCAD 2005 and MicroStation V8.
- Operate Microstation SE and Microstation V8.
- Demonstrate expertise in building code, lighting, MEP.
- Translate the client's briefs into sketch plans for client approval.
More architectural drafter duties

Make a budget

Including a salary range in your architectural drafter job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An architectural drafter salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

For example, the average salary for an architectural drafter in Arkansas may be lower than in Rhode Island, and an entry-level architectural drafter usually earns less than a senior-level architectural drafter. Additionally, an architectural drafter with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

Average architectural drafter salary

$49,944yearly

$24.01 hourly rate

Entry-level architectural drafter salary

$37,000 yearly salary

Updated December 14, 2025

Average architectural drafter salary by state

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	District of Columbia	$57,985	$28
2	California	$57,200	$28
3	Massachusetts	$56,034	$27
4	Illinois	$55,575	$27
5	New York	$55,050	$26
6	Washington	$54,846	$26
7	Oregon	$54,499	$26
8	Maryland	$53,931	$26
9	Colorado	$51,519	$25
10	Arizona	$50,277	$24
11	Pennsylvania	$49,686	$24
12	Oklahoma	$49,027	$24
13	Nevada	$48,657	$23
14	Virginia	$47,461	$23
15	Texas	$46,331	$22
16	Florida	$45,730	$22
17	Georgia	$44,750	$22
18	Michigan	$42,826	$21

Average architectural drafter salary by company

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
1	Rafael Viñoly Architects	$62,212	$29.91
2	Ismael Leyva Arch	$59,277	$28.50
3	EDSA	$58,329	$28.04
4	Goody Clancy	$57,724	$27.75
5	Entech Engineering	$57,597	$27.69
6	Hord Coplan Macht	$57,377	$27.59	2
7	Laguarda.Low Architects	$57,260	$27.53
8	Gruen Associates	$57,092	$27.45
9	RXR Realty	$57,083	$27.44
10	Halff Associates	$57,078	$27.44	1
11	PBK	$56,018	$26.93	10
12	HHCP Architects	$55,973	$26.91
13	State University of New York College at Cortland	$55,932	$26.89
14	BDG Architects	$55,874	$26.86
15	Timothy Haahs & Associates	$55,785	$26.82
16	ROSSETTI	$55,743	$26.80
17	Goodwyn Mills Cawood	$55,590	$26.73	6
18	Architect	$55,516	$26.69
19	LK Architecture	$55,515	$26.69
20	David Weekley Homes	$55,497	$26.68	2

Writing an architectural drafter job description
A good architectural drafter job description should include a few things:
- Summary of the role
- List of responsibilities
- Required skills and experience
Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an architectural drafter job description:
Architectural drafter job description example
_Architectural Material Drafter_

_Project Detailer - AutoCAD Drafter_

Balco, a manufacturer of architectural building products, is growing! We are expanding our team with people who enjoy a fast-paced, teamwork environment and are passionate about working together to meet or exceed customers' requirements For over 50 years, Balco has been dedicated to bringing top-quality architectural products to the commercial construction industry. We offer an extensive line of interior and exterior expansion joint systems, photoluminescent products, stair nosings, floor mats and grids, as well as trench and access covers.

We are currently looking for a full time Project Detailer to fill an immediate opening in our drafting department.

Responsibilities include:

+ Reading architectural plans to determine type and extent of products required on each project

+ Preparing a complete set of shop drawings using AutoCad 2018 for submittal to the project architect as well as for use in fabrication

+ Communicating with contractors, architects and installers to coordinate drawings with field conditions

+ Maintaining and implementing all supplemental documents and correspondence into shop drawings

+ Tracking changes of projects through revisions

+ Coordination of project materials with multiple departments

Requirements include:

+ Good communication skills

+ Proficiency in AutoCad and MS Office Suite

+ Ability to read architectural plans

+ Knowledge of basic building construction materials and methods

+ Basic knowledge of project management

+ Ability to work in an electronically dominated work place

CSWI products and systems help contractors do their jobs better, faster and easier; make buildings safer and more aesthetically pleasing; protect valuable assets from corrosion; and improve the reliability of mission critical equipment. CSW Industrials, Inc., together with its affiliated companies are equal opportunity employers. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and encourage all to apply.

U.S. Benefits:

+ Health insurance

+ Dental insurance

+ Disability insurance

+ Life insurance

+ Flexible spending account

+ Health savings account

+ Vision insurance

+ Paid time off

+ Paternity leave

+ Employee assistance program

+ Tuition reimbursement

+ 401(k) $1 for $1 match, up to 6% - vest immediately

+ 401(k) additional profit sharing - up to 3%

+ Employer Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
Post your job
To find architectural drafters for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:
- Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
- Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any architectural drafters they would recommend.
- Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level architectural drafters with the right educational background.
- Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
Post your job online:
- Post your architectural drafter job on Zippia to find and recruit architectural drafter candidates who meet your exact specifications.
- Use field-specific websites such as dribbble, authentic jobs, working not working, coroflot.
- Post a job on free websites.
Interview candidates
During your first interview to recruit architectural drafters, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.
It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.
The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.
Send a job offer and onboard your new architectural drafter
Once you've found the architectural drafter candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.
It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.
To prepare for the new architectural drafter first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.
Go through the hiring process checklist
- Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
- Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
- Define job responsibilities and requirements
- Establish budget and timeline
- Determine hiring decision makers for the role
- Write job description
- Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
- Promote the job internally
- Process applications through applicant tracking system
- Review resumes and cover letters
- Shortlist candidates for screening
- Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
- Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
- Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
- Conduct background checks on top candidates
- Check references of top candidates
- Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
- Extend offer to top candidate(s)
- Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
- Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
- Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
- Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire an architectural drafter?

Before you start to hire architectural drafters, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire architectural drafters pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

The median annual salary for architectural drafters is $49,944 in the US. However, the cost of architectural drafter hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring an architectural drafter for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $17 and $31 an hour.

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Updated December 14, 2025

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How to hire an architectural drafter