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Autocad designer salary

Average autocad designer salary

$55,786

$26.82 hourly rate

Entry-level autocad designer salary
$40,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Average AutoCAD Designer Salary

The average salary for an AutoCAD Designer is approximately $55,786 per year or $27 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly depending on factors like experience, location, and industry. Entry-level positions typically earn less, while those with several years of experience can command higher wages.

Salary Estimates by Experience Level

Entry-level AutoCAD Designers may start at around $45,000, while mid-career professionals can earn between $55,000 and $70,000. Senior-level roles, especially in specialized fields, may see salaries exceeding $80,000.

Regional Salary Variations

AutoCAD Designers in states such as California and New York often report the highest salaries, influenced by the cost of living and demand for skilled designers. For instance, salaries in California can reach up to $70,000 annually. In contrast, designers in regions with lower living costs may see salaries in the range of $50,000.

Job Opportunities

With the increasing demand for skilled design professionals across various industries, AutoCAD Designers can find opportunities in architecture, engineering, and manufacturing. Continuous skill development in software updates and design techniques can further enhance job prospects and salary potential.

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Where can an Autocad Designer earn more?

Compare salary by location
Vs
77k
57k
37k
17k
Columbus, OH$63,172
Port Huron, MI$47,281
Compare salary by company
Vs
74k
54k
34k
14k
Jacobs Engineering Group$62,626
Chuck E. Cheese$43,823

Autocad designer salaries by experience level

Autocad designer salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Glassdoor and SalaryExpert, the average salary for an autocad designer typically falls between $55,770 and $75,000.
zippia
$55,786yearly
glassdoor[1]
$75,000yearly
SalaryExpert[2]
$55,770yearly

Average autocad designer salary by state

The average autocad designer salary in Rhode Island, New York, and Vermont are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average autocad designer salary states are Idaho, Kansas, and Michigan.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for autocad designers

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1New York$63,115$30.34
2Rhode Island$63,331$30.45
3Illinois$60,316$29.00
4District of Columbia$64,346$30.94
5Oregon$57,784$27.78
6Massachusetts$59,683$28.69
7Vermont$62,905$30.24
8Washington$56,885$27.35
9New Jersey$60,620$29.14
10California$58,814$28.28
11New Hampshire$55,616$26.74
12North Dakota$56,335$27.08
13Pennsylvania$53,783$25.86
14Maryland$59,442$28.58
15West Virginia$57,139$27.47
16Tennessee$53,520$25.73
17Connecticut$55,752$26.80
18Indiana$54,148$26.03
19Utah$51,333$24.68
20Kentucky$54,632$26.27
21Arizona$53,269$25.61
22Wisconsin$51,094$24.56
23Colorado$54,242$26.08
24South Carolina$52,893$25.43
25North Carolina$51,961$24.98
26Missouri$52,287$25.14
27Nevada$52,607$25.29
28Ohio$51,072$24.55
29Oklahoma$52,009$25.00
30South Dakota$52,492$25.24
31Montana$52,840$25.40
32Virginia$51,918$24.96
33Delaware$53,333$25.64
34Iowa$48,828$23.48
35Minnesota$48,752$23.44
36Georgia$48,428$23.28
37Texas$48,842$23.48
38New Mexico$49,900$23.99
39Maine$49,394$23.75
40Michigan$46,783$22.49
41Hawaii$56,105$26.97
42Florida$49,104$23.61
43Nebraska$47,735$22.95
44Arkansas$48,011$23.08
45Kansas$46,822$22.51
46Alaska$47,710$22.94
47Wyoming$47,743$22.95
48Idaho$47,031$22.61
49Mississippi$44,762$21.52
50Louisiana$44,732$21.51
51Alabama$41,690$20.04

Highest paying cities for autocad designers

The highest-paying cities for autocad designers are New York, NY, Chicago, IL, and Irvine, CA.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1New York, NY$63,172$30.37
2Chicago, IL$60,528$29.10
3Irvine, CA$57,797$27.79
4Mishawaka, IN$55,115$26.50
5Memphis, TN$53,325$25.64
6Greenville, SC$52,934$25.45
7Centreville, VA$52,630$25.30
8Sioux Falls, SD$52,596$25.29
9Durham, NC$52,584$25.28
10Kansas City, MO$52,161$25.08
11Tulsa, OK$51,947$24.97
12Green Bay, WI$51,377$24.70
13Toledo, OH$51,329$24.68
14Corpus Christi, TX$49,522$23.81
15Tampa, FL$49,239$23.67
16Des Moines, IA$48,564$23.35
17Alpharetta, GA$48,501$23.32
18Omaha, NE$47,794$22.98
19Port Huron, MI$47,281$22.73

Autocad designer salary details

An autocad designer's salary ranges from $40,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $76,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average autocad designer salary graph
Average autocad designer salary graph, trends, and summary

What is an autocad designer's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$76,000$6,333$37
75th Percentile$65,000$5,417$31
Average$55,786$4,649$27
25th Percentile$47,000$3,917$23
10th Percentile$40,000$3,333$19

Highest paying autocad designer jobs

The highest paying types of autocad designers are designer, electrical designer, and mechanical designer.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Architectural Internship$53,914$4,493$25.9257,981
Drafter$43,542$3,629$20.933,968
Drafting Internship$42,284$3,524$20.3351,193
Architectural Draftsman$52,382$4,365$25.185,528
Computer Aided Drafter$43,520$3,627$20.9216,907
Architectural Drafter$49,944$4,162$24.017,139

Which companies pay autocad designers the most?

Autocad designer salaries at Jacobs Engineering Group and Parsons are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average autocad designer salary at companies like Fishbeck and Stantec are highly competitive.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1Jacobs Engineering Group$62,626$30.11
2Parsons$60,178$28.93
3Fishbeck$59,041$28.39
4Stantec$58,525$28.14
5Arseal$57,368$27.58
6CyberCoders$56,761$27.29
7Cree$56,678$27.25
8Colliers Engineering & Design$56,590$27.21
9KBR$56,292$27.06
10Jacobs Enterprises$56,204$27.02
11Chart Industries$56,045$26.94
12Kelly Services$56,027$26.94
13Circle K$55,972$26.91
14Randstad North America, Inc.$54,998$26.44
15St. Clair County Community Mental Health$53,752$25.84
16R.M. Schulte & Associates$52,091$25.04
17Chuck E. Cheese$43,823$21.07

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$61,000$60,400$59,800$59,200$58,600$58,000
MaleFemale

Autocad Designer salary by industry

The average autocad designer salary varies across industries:

  • The average autocad designer salary in the construction industry is $57,565, the highest of any industry.
  • The average autocad designer salary in the finance industry is $56,179.
  • Autocad designers in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $55,225, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for autocad designers

RankIndustryAverage salaryHourly rate
1Construction$57,565$27.68
2Professional$56,179$27.01
3Technology$55,797$26.83
4Manufacturing$55,225$26.55

High paying autocad designer jobs

Autocad designer salary trends

The average autocad designer salary has risen by $9,945 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average autocad designer earned $45,841 annually, but today, they earn $55,786 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for autocad designers over the last decade.

Compare autocad designer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average autocad designer salary over time

Compare autocad designer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Autocad designer salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2025$55,800$26.82+2.0%
2024$54,700$26.28+2.5%
2023$53,300$25.62+3.7%
2022$51,300$24.66+2.3%
2021$50,100$24.09+1.8%

Recently added autocad designer salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
ActalentAutocad DesignerTupelo, MS06/25/2025$58,436
Professional Search of The CarolinasAutocad Designer Drafter 3D SolidworksMason, OH06/10/2025$100,000
Tectonic MSAAutocad Designer (Civil, Structural or Solar)Fine, NY06/05/2025$52,175
BEPC Inc.-Business Excellence Professional ConsultingAutocad DesignerTempe, AZ05/29/2025$60,523
Amped FitnessAutocad DesignerPompano Beach, FL05/28/2025$100,000
ActalentAutocad DesignerBellevue, WA05/24/2025$62,610
Constellation Energy CorpDesigner AutocadBraceville, IL05/22/2025$111,000
Koorsen Fire & Security Inc.Autodesk Autocad DesignerIndianapolis, IN04/28/2025$58,436
Insight GlobalAutocad Designer (MEP or Civil)Jackson, MS04/24/2025$41,740
LegenceAutocad Designer (Audio Visual)-AMA GroupNew York, NY03/29/2025$70,000

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