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Drafting technician salary
Average drafting technician salary
$45,318
Average Drafting Technician Salary
The average salary for a drafting technician in the United States is approximately $45,318 per year or $22 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry.
Salary by Experience Level
Typically, entry-level drafting technicians earn lower salaries compared to those with several years of experience. For example, technicians with less than one year in the field may earn around $35,000, while those with 5-10 years can see salaries rise to $50,000 or more.
Highest Paying States
States such as California, Texas, and New York often provide higher salaries for drafting technicians due to their larger job markets and demand for skilled professionals. On the other hand, states with lower costs of living may offer less competitive wages.
Opportunities for Advancement
As the demand for drafting technicians continues to grow, pursuing additional certifications and specialized training can enhance earning potential. Exploring various industries, from construction to aerospace, can also lead to higher salary opportunities.
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Where can a Drafting Technician earn more?
Drafting technician salaries by experience level
Drafting technician salary estimates from across the web
Average drafting technician salary by state
The highest-paying states for drafting technicians are New Jersey, New York, and California. The lowest average drafting technician salary states are Texas, Florida, and Montana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for drafting technicians
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $59,749 | $28.73 |
| 2 | Vermont | $53,377 | $25.66 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $63,239 | $30.40 |
| 4 | Alaska | $53,416 | $25.68 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $54,501 | $26.20 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $56,659 | $27.24 |
| 7 | Maine | $44,224 | $21.26 |
| 8 | Maryland | $50,989 | $24.51 |
| 9 | West Virginia | $44,278 | $21.29 |
| 10 | Illinois | $46,515 | $22.36 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $51,277 | $24.65 |
| 12 | Michigan | $46,339 | $22.28 |
| 13 | Washington | $55,785 | $26.82 |
| 14 | California | $59,172 | $28.45 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $59,219 | $28.47 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $48,583 | $23.36 |
| 17 | Iowa | $41,895 | $20.14 |
| 18 | Utah | $43,181 | $20.76 |
| 19 | Oregon | $47,725 | $22.94 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $42,723 | $20.54 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $40,564 | $19.50 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $41,110 | $19.76 |
| 23 | Idaho | $47,385 | $22.78 |
| 24 | Ohio | $44,496 | $21.39 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $48,796 | $23.46 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $42,414 | $20.39 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $40,688 | $19.56 |
| 28 | Delaware | $43,927 | $21.12 |
| 29 | Rhode Island | $42,888 | $20.62 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $38,428 | $18.48 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $42,247 | $20.31 |
| 32 | Virginia | $40,822 | $19.63 |
| 33 | Alabama | $39,289 | $18.89 |
| 34 | Nevada | $38,272 | $18.40 |
| 35 | Arizona | $38,885 | $18.69 |
| 36 | Missouri | $35,247 | $16.95 |
| 37 | Colorado | $35,220 | $16.93 |
| 38 | Indiana | $36,857 | $17.72 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $35,070 | $16.86 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $37,120 | $17.85 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $31,202 | $15.00 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $31,054 | $14.93 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $34,778 | $16.72 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $35,895 | $17.26 |
| 45 | Florida | $31,744 | $15.26 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $31,170 | $14.99 |
| 47 | Kansas | $34,299 | $16.49 |
| 48 | Georgia | $32,274 | $15.52 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $34,012 | $16.35 |
| 50 | Texas | $32,267 | $15.51 |
| 51 | Montana | $31,495 | $15.14 |
Highest paying cities for drafting technicians
The highest-paying cities for drafting technicians are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Anchorage, AK.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $64,044 | $30.79 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $59,978 | $28.84 |
| 3 | Anchorage, AK | $53,522 | $25.73 |
| 4 | Detroit, MI | $46,681 | $22.44 |
| 5 | Mason City, IA | $43,070 | $20.71 |
| 6 | Alexandria, VA | $42,838 | $20.60 |
| 7 | Oakdale, MN | $42,835 | $20.59 |
| 8 | Albuquerque, NM | $36,917 | $17.75 |
| 9 | Sioux Falls, SD | $35,969 | $17.29 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $35,259 | $16.95 |
| 11 | Laredo, TX | $33,923 | $16.31 |
| 12 | Orlando, FL | $31,509 | $15.15 |
| 13 | Omaha, NE | $31,344 | $15.07 |
| 14 | Charleston, SC | $31,248 | $15.02 |
Drafting technician salary details
A drafting technician's salary ranges from $31,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $65,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a drafting technician's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $65,000 | $5,417 | $31 |
| 75th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
| Average | $45,318 | $3,777 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
Highest paying drafting technician jobs
The highest paying types of drafting technicians are design technician, engineering technician, and civil cadd technician.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project Engineer Internship | $40,356 | $3,363 | $19.40 | 69,593 |
| Engineering Internship | $41,918 | $3,493 | $20.15 | 97,722 |
| Civil Engineering Technician | $53,829 | $4,486 | $25.88 | 75,756 |
| Autocad Technician | $47,720 | $3,977 | $22.94 | 31,482 |
| Technician | $38,045 | $3,170 | $18.29 | 596,842 |
| Cadd Technician | $53,449 | $4,454 | $25.70 | 10,447 |
Top companies hiring drafting technicians now:
Which companies pay drafting technicians the most?
Drafting technician salaries at City of Detroit and National Grid plc are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average drafting technician salary at companies like Metropolitan Utilities District and Wiss Janney Elstner are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City of Detroit | $89,219 | $42.89 |
| 2 | National Grid plc | $71,760 | $34.50 |
| 3 | Metropolitan Utilities District | $71,172 | $34.22 |
| 4 | Wiss Janney Elstner | $60,244 | $28.96 |
| 5 | Heller Manus Architects | $60,244 | $28.96 |
| 6 | Parsons | $59,286 | $28.50 |
| 7 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $58,537 | $28.14 |
| 8 | Morton Buildings | $49,849 | $23.97 |
| 9 | Integrated DNA Technologies | $49,569 | $23.83 |
| 10 | Garver, LLC | $47,560 | $22.87 |
| 11 | New York State Restaurant Association | $46,167 | $22.20 |
| 12 | Danaher | $45,837 | $22.04 |
| 13 | Minnesota State Fair | $45,691 | $21.97 |
| 14 | B. Braun Medical | $45,101 | $21.68 |
| 15 | Kramer Beverage | $43,820 | $21.07 |
| 16 | State Bar of Michigan | $42,944 | $20.65 |
| 17 | Jordan & Skala Engineers | $42,767 | $20.56 |
| 18 | Power International Holding | $42,467 | $20.42 |
| 19 | Dreamstyle Remodeling | $42,106 | $20.24 |
| 20 | NANA | $41,774 | $20.08 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Drafting Technician salary by industry
The average drafting technician salary varies across industries:
- The average drafting technician salary in the energy industry is $60,165, the highest of any industry.
- The average drafting technician salary in the finance industry is $56,660.
- Drafting technicians in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $42,624, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for drafting technicians
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy | $60,165 | $28.93 |
| 2 | Utilities | $56,660 | $27.24 |
| 3 | Technology | $53,898 | $25.91 |
| 4 | Government | $52,424 | $25.20 |
| 5 | Construction | $43,698 | $21.01 |
| 6 | Hospitality | $43,167 | $20.75 |
| 7 | Professional | $42,893 | $20.62 |
| 8 | Manufacturing | $42,624 | $20.49 |
High paying drafting technician jobs
Drafting technician salary trends
The average drafting technician salary has risen by $6,016 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average drafting technician earned $39,302 annually, but today, they earn $45,318 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for drafting technicians over the last decade.
Compare drafting technician salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average drafting technician salary over time
Compare drafting technician salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Drafting technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $45,300 | $21.79 | +1.2% |
| 2024 | $44,800 | $21.52 | +1.6% |
| 2023 | $44,100 | $21.18 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $43,300 | $20.80 | +3.2% |
| 2021 | $41,900 | $20.14 | +1.4% |
Recently added drafting technician salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qualus Power Services Corp | Drafting Technician II | Reno, NV | 06/30/2025 | $60,000 |
| State of New York | Principal Drafting Technician (Nyhelps) | Albany, NY | 06/24/2025 | $59,994 |
| Hayden Beverage Company | Draft Technician | Boise, ID | 06/02/2025 | $36,523 |
| Qualus Power Services Corp | Drafting Technician II | Reno, NV | 05/30/2025 | $60,000 |
| Reyes Holdings | Draft Technician | Waipahu, HI | 05/24/2025 | $48,001 |
| Buffalo Public Schools | Senior Drafting Technician-Provisional RB A | Buffalo, NY | 05/16/2025 | $52,284 |
| Standard Beverage | Draft Beer Technician | Kansas City, KS | 05/16/2025 | $39,653 |
| D.A. Collins | CAD Drafting Technician | Wilton, NY | 05/14/2025 | $55,000 |
| KBR Wyle Services | SR Drafting Technician | Columbia, MD | 05/12/2025 | $50,000 |
| KBR | SR Drafting Technician | Columbia, MD | 05/10/2025 | $50,000 |
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