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Architectural drafter salary
Average architectural drafter salary
$49,944
Understanding Architectural Drafter Salaries
The role of an architectural drafter is pivotal in transforming concepts into actionable plans. As of October 2025, the average salary for architectural drafters is approximately $49,944 per year, or $24 per hour. Salaries can vary widely depending on factors such as geographical location, years of experience, and specific sectors within the architectural field.
For instance, drafters in states like California and New York typically report higher salaries, reflecting the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. Entry-level positions may start at around $40,000, while experienced drafters can earn upwards of $60,000 annually.
Salary by Experience Level
Experience plays a significant role in salary determination. Entry-level drafters can expect to earn less, while those with five to ten years of experience can see substantial increases in their earnings. Understanding these salary dynamics helps aspiring drafters plan their career trajectories effectively.
Maximizing Your Salary Potential
Architectural drafters can also enhance their earning potential by acquiring specialized skills in software such as AutoCAD or Revit. Continuous education and certifications can further elevate a drafter’s marketability and compensation.
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Where can an Architectural Drafter earn more?
Architectural drafter salaries by experience level
Architectural drafter salary estimates from across the web
Average architectural drafter salary by state
The highest-paying states for architectural drafters are Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Jersey. The lowest average architectural drafter salary states are Arkansas, Kansas, and Michigan.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for architectural drafters
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $54,507 | $26.21 |
| 2 | Washington | $54,604 | $26.25 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $59,363 | $28.54 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $56,008 | $26.93 |
| 5 | Vermont | $59,188 | $28.46 |
| 6 | Arizona | $50,237 | $24.15 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $57,992 | $27.88 |
| 8 | Illinois | $55,402 | $26.64 |
| 9 | Indiana | $49,716 | $23.90 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $54,278 | $26.10 |
| 11 | California | $55,958 | $26.90 |
| 12 | Tennessee | $49,390 | $23.75 |
| 13 | Montana | $51,526 | $24.77 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $56,096 | $26.97 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $49,427 | $23.76 |
| 16 | Colorado | $51,540 | $24.78 |
| 17 | Utah | $48,681 | $23.40 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $51,767 | $24.89 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $52,151 | $25.07 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $50,156 | $24.11 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $47,301 | $22.74 |
| 22 | Maryland | $53,733 | $25.83 |
| 23 | New York | $55,054 | $26.47 |
| 24 | South Carolina | $48,362 | $23.25 |
| 25 | Nevada | $48,790 | $23.46 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $49,835 | $23.96 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $51,578 | $24.80 |
| 28 | Missouri | $48,643 | $23.39 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $48,976 | $23.55 |
| 30 | Iowa | $45,493 | $21.87 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $47,156 | $22.67 |
| 32 | Alaska | $46,417 | $22.32 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $47,302 | $22.74 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $53,168 | $25.56 |
| 35 | Ohio | $46,488 | $22.35 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $45,971 | $22.10 |
| 37 | Maine | $46,527 | $22.37 |
| 38 | Delaware | $48,604 | $23.37 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $44,997 | $21.63 |
| 40 | Georgia | $44,741 | $21.51 |
| 41 | Texas | $45,673 | $21.96 |
| 42 | Florida | $45,267 | $21.76 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $45,748 | $21.99 |
| 44 | Virginia | $46,631 | $22.42 |
| 45 | Idaho | $44,875 | $21.57 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $44,700 | $21.49 |
| 47 | Kansas | $43,897 | $21.10 |
| 48 | Michigan | $42,990 | $20.67 |
| 49 | Alabama | $38,539 | $18.53 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $41,511 | $19.96 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $41,525 | $19.96 |
Highest paying cities for architectural drafters
The highest-paying cities for architectural drafters are Washington, DC, San Francisco, CA, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $57,985 | $27.88 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $57,200 | $27.50 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $56,034 | $26.94 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $55,575 | $26.72 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $55,050 | $26.47 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $54,846 | $26.37 |
| 7 | Portland, OR | $54,499 | $26.20 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $53,931 | $25.93 |
| 9 | Denver, CO | $51,519 | $24.77 |
| 10 | Phoenix, AZ | $50,277 | $24.17 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $49,686 | $23.89 |
| 12 | Oklahoma City, OK | $49,027 | $23.57 |
| 13 | Las Vegas, NV | $48,657 | $23.39 |
| 14 | Sterling, VA | $47,461 | $22.82 |
| 15 | Laredo, TX | $46,331 | $22.27 |
| 16 | Coral Gables, FL | $45,730 | $21.99 |
| 17 | Kennesaw, GA | $44,750 | $21.51 |
| 18 | Ann Arbor, MI | $42,826 | $20.59 |
Architectural drafter salary details
An architectural drafter's salary ranges from $37,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $65,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an architectural drafter's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $65,000 | $5,417 | $31 |
| 75th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
| Average | $49,944 | $4,162 | $24 |
| 25th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
Highest paying architectural drafter jobs
The highest paying types of architectural drafters are structural designer, mechanical designer, and computer aided design designer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Aided Design Designer | $60,150 | $5,012 | $28.92 | 92,503 |
| Truss Designer | $50,866 | $4,239 | $24.45 | 45,424 |
| Drafting Internship | $42,284 | $3,524 | $20.33 | 51,193 |
| Autocad Designer | $55,786 | $4,649 | $26.82 | 46,459 |
| Drafter | $43,542 | $3,629 | $20.93 | 3,968 |
| Mechanical Designer | $62,541 | $5,212 | $30.07 | 65,748 |
Top companies hiring architectural drafters now:
Which companies pay architectural drafters the most?
Architectural drafter salaries at Rafael Viñoly Architects and Ismael Leyva Arch are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average architectural drafter salary at companies like EDSA and Goody Clancy are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 11 | PBK | $56,018 | $26.93 |
| 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 |
| 18 | Architect | $55,516 | $26.69 |
| 19 | LK Architecture | $55,515 | $26.69 |
| 20 | David Weekley Homes | $55,497 | $26.68 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Architectural Drafter salary by industry
The average architectural drafter salary varies across industries:
- The average architectural drafter salary in the professional industry is $53,917, the highest of any industry.
- The average architectural drafter salary in the finance industry is $51,625.
- Architectural drafters in the retail industry earn an average salary of $46,312, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for architectural drafters
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $53,917 | $25.92 |
| 2 | Construction | $51,625 | $24.82 |
| 3 | Government | $50,926 | $24.48 |
| 4 | Media | $50,851 | $24.45 |
| 5 | Manufacturing | $48,267 | $23.21 |
| 6 | Retail | $46,312 | $22.27 |
High paying architectural drafter jobs
Architectural drafter salary trends
The average architectural drafter salary has risen by $8,903 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average architectural drafter earned $41,041 annually, but today, they earn $49,944 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for architectural drafters over the last decade.
Compare architectural drafter salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average architectural drafter salary over time
Compare architectural drafter salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Architectural drafter salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $49,900 | $24.01 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $48,900 | $23.53 | +2.5% |
| 2023 | $47,700 | $22.93 | +3.7% |
| 2022 | $45,900 | $22.08 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $44,900 | $21.56 | +1.8% |
Recently added architectural drafter salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actalent | Architectural Drafter | Delano, MN | 06/27/2025 | $52,175 |
| SST Direct | Architectural Drafter | Carbondale, PA | 06/14/2025 | $52,000 |
| Selectek, Inc. | Architectural Drafter/Job Captain (Residential) | Sacramento, CA | 06/12/2025 | $100,343 |
| Selectek, Inc. | Architectural Drafter | Alpharetta, GA | 06/11/2025 | $56,349 |
| Collaborative Companies | Architectural Drafter [Revit Enthusiast] | Seattle, WA | 05/30/2025 | $60,000 |
| Iglesia Episcopal Pr | HQF Architectural Specialist/Drafter | Salt Lake City, UT | 05/26/2025 | $66,784 |
| Presbyterian Church | HQF Architectural Specialist/Drafter | Salt Lake City, UT | 05/26/2025 | $66,784 |
| The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints | HQF Architectural Specialist/Drafter | Salt Lake City, UT | 05/24/2025 | $66,784 |
| Actalent | Architectural Drafter | Chicago, IL | 05/24/2025 | $52,000 |
| Zephyr Connects | Architectural Drafter-Residential | Madison, WI | 05/05/2025 | $60,000 |
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