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Computer aided drafter salary
Average computer aided drafter salary
$43,520
Understanding Computer Aided Drafter Salaries
A Computer Aided Drafter plays a crucial role in various sectors, including architecture, engineering, and manufacturing. As of October 2025, the average annual salary for this position is $43,520, or about $21 per hour. However, salaries can fluctuate based on several factors:
- Experience Level: Entry-level drafters typically earn less than those with several years of experience.
- Geographic Location: States like California and New York tend to offer higher wages compared to others.
- Industry Sector: Drafters in specialized fields such as aerospace or civil engineering may command higher salaries due to the demand for complex designs.
Moreover, understanding salary estimates can provide valuable insights for job seekers looking to enter this field. For instance, drafters employed in metropolitan areas often benefit from higher average salaries due to increased demand. By evaluating these aspects, prospective drafters can make informed choices that align with their career aspirations.
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Where can a Computer Aided Drafter earn more?
Computer aided drafter salaries by experience level
Computer aided drafter salary estimates from across the web
Average computer aided drafter salary by state
The average computer aided drafter salary in New Jersey, Connecticut, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average computer aided drafter salary states are Wyoming, Alaska, and Indiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for computer aided drafters
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $47,208 | $22.70 |
| 2 | Vermont | $46,624 | $22.42 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $45,478 | $21.86 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $49,138 | $23.62 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $45,767 | $22.00 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $51,756 | $24.88 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $54,074 | $26.00 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $46,137 | $22.18 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $46,144 | $22.18 |
| 10 | Maryland | $46,104 | $22.17 |
| 11 | South Dakota | $42,843 | $20.60 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $46,189 | $22.21 |
| 13 | Montana | $42,775 | $20.56 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $47,315 | $22.75 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $45,560 | $21.90 |
| 16 | California | $48,677 | $23.40 |
| 17 | Colorado | $45,078 | $21.67 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $44,732 | $21.51 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $44,918 | $21.60 |
| 20 | New York | $46,557 | $22.38 |
| 21 | Oregon | $42,975 | $20.66 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $40,696 | $19.57 |
| 23 | Washington | $44,481 | $21.39 |
| 24 | Delaware | $43,139 | $20.74 |
| 25 | Illinois | $44,186 | $21.24 |
| 26 | Kansas | $42,657 | $20.51 |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $41,547 | $19.97 |
| 28 | Missouri | $43,898 | $21.10 |
| 29 | Utah | $41,210 | $19.81 |
| 30 | Nevada | $41,555 | $19.98 |
| 31 | Texas | $42,291 | $20.33 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $42,181 | $20.28 |
| 33 | Virginia | $42,001 | $20.19 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $41,202 | $19.81 |
| 35 | Ohio | $41,229 | $19.82 |
| 36 | Alaska | $38,037 | $18.29 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $38,575 | $18.55 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $39,689 | $19.08 |
| 39 | Georgia | $40,835 | $19.63 |
| 40 | Iowa | $39,860 | $19.16 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $40,059 | $19.26 |
| 42 | Alabama | $39,189 | $18.84 |
| 43 | Florida | $40,611 | $19.52 |
| 44 | Michigan | $39,487 | $18.98 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $39,416 | $18.95 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $39,108 | $18.80 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $37,029 | $17.80 |
| 48 | Idaho | $36,999 | $17.79 |
| 49 | Maine | $35,903 | $17.26 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $38,680 | $18.60 |
| 51 | Indiana | $37,533 | $18.04 |
Highest paying cities for computer aided drafters
The highest-paying cities for computer aided drafters are Kearny, NJ, Washington, DC, and Benicia, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kearny, NJ | $54,013 | $25.97 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $51,728 | $24.87 |
| 3 | Benicia, CA | $49,217 | $23.66 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $46,726 | $22.46 |
| 5 | White Bear Lake, MN | $46,195 | $22.21 |
| 6 | Raleigh, NC | $45,940 | $22.09 |
| 7 | Erie, PA | $45,129 | $21.70 |
| 8 | Colorado Springs, CO | $45,117 | $21.69 |
| 9 | Framingham, MA | $44,977 | $21.62 |
| 10 | Seattle, WA | $44,614 | $21.45 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $44,314 | $21.30 |
| 12 | Saint Joseph, MO | $43,828 | $21.07 |
| 13 | Portland, OR | $42,857 | $20.60 |
| 14 | Houston, TX | $42,403 | $20.39 |
| 15 | Memphis, TN | $42,054 | $20.22 |
| 16 | Cleveland, OH | $41,743 | $20.07 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $40,850 | $19.64 |
| 18 | Clearwater, FL | $40,830 | $19.63 |
| 19 | Birmingham, AL | $39,123 | $18.81 |
| 20 | Grand Rapids, MI | $39,104 | $18.80 |
Computer aided drafter salary details
A computer aided drafter's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $57,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a computer aided drafter's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
| 75th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| Average | $43,520 | $3,627 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Highest paying computer aided drafter jobs
The highest paying types of computer aided drafters are design technician, computer aided design designer, and architectural designer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design Technician | $62,288 | $5,191 | $29.95 | 48,394 |
| Architectural Internship | $53,914 | $4,493 | $25.92 | 57,981 |
| Architectural Designer | $59,122 | $4,927 | $28.42 | 54,358 |
| Draftsman | $42,908 | $3,576 | $20.63 | 3,143 |
| Drafting Internship | $42,284 | $3,524 | $20.33 | 51,193 |
| Autocad Designer | $55,786 | $4,649 | $26.82 | 46,459 |
Top companies hiring computer aided drafters now:
Which companies pay computer aided drafters the most?
Computer aided drafter salaries at Johnson Controls and BlackRock are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average computer aided drafter salary at companies like IDEX and Clear Channel Airport are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johnson Controls | $55,882 | $26.87 |
| 2 | BlackRock | $54,307 | $26.11 |
| 3 | IDEX | $53,656 | $25.80 |
| 4 | Clear Channel Airport | $53,003 | $25.48 |
| 5 | AMETEK | $52,966 | $25.46 |
| 6 | Stantec | $52,316 | $25.15 |
| 7 | Fellowes Brands | $51,951 | $24.98 |
| 8 | GPAC | $51,423 | $24.72 |
| 9 | Cyient | $50,732 | $24.39 |
| 10 | Fishbeck | $50,468 | $24.26 |
| 11 | Twin Cities Stores | $50,421 | $24.24 |
| 12 | Systems | $50,128 | $24.10 |
| 13 | McAdams | $49,741 | $23.91 |
| 14 | Virginia's Community Colleges | $48,631 | $23.38 |
| 15 | Kimley-Horn | $48,239 | $23.19 |
| 16 | Richmond American Homes | $48,076 | $23.11 |
| 17 | VisionCorp Rep | $47,941 | $23.05 |
| 18 | Engineering Consultants Group | $47,612 | $22.89 |
| 19 | D.R. Horton | $47,525 | $22.85 |
| 20 | NIKA | $47,465 | $22.82 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Computer Aided Drafter salary by industry
The average computer aided drafter salary varies across industries:
- The average computer aided drafter salary in the professional industry is $46,473, the highest of any industry.
- The average computer aided drafter salary in the finance industry is $45,807.
- Computer aided drafters in the internet industry earn an average salary of $42,908, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for computer aided drafters
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $46,473 | $22.34 |
| 2 | Construction | $45,807 | $22.02 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $45,704 | $21.97 |
| 4 | Technology | $44,845 | $21.56 |
| 5 | Energy | $44,766 | $21.52 |
| 6 | Telecommunication | $42,971 | $20.66 |
| 7 | Internet | $42,908 | $20.63 |
High paying computer aided drafter jobs
Computer aided drafter salary trends
The average computer aided drafter salary has risen by $7,758 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average computer aided drafter earned $35,762 annually, but today, they earn $43,520 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for computer aided drafters over the last decade.
Compare computer aided drafter salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average computer aided drafter salary over time
Compare computer aided drafter salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Computer aided drafter salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $43,500 | $20.92 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $42,600 | $20.50 | +2.5% |
| 2023 | $41,600 | $19.98 | +3.7% |
| 2022 | $40,000 | $19.24 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $39,100 | $18.79 | +1.8% |
Recently added computer aided drafter salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinellc | CAD Drafter Junior | Atlanta, GA | 06/29/2025 | $31,305 |
| Solv Energy, LLC | Electrical Preconstruction CAD Drafter (Remote) | San Diego, CA | 06/29/2025 | $64,801 |
| Sterling Engineering, Inc. | CAD Drafter | Buffalo Grove, IL | 06/28/2025 | $62,610 |
| Power-Flo Technologies Inc. | CAD Drafter | New Hyde Park, NY | 06/28/2025 | $45,760 |
| Actalent | CAD Drafter | Middletown, PA | 06/27/2025 | $54,262 |
| Insight Global | Computer Aided Design Drafter | Exton, PA | 06/27/2025 | $39,653 |
| Actalent | CAD Drafter | Deltona, FL | 06/26/2025 | $52,175 |
| Stand-By Personnel | CAD Drafter | Tulsa, OK | 06/25/2025 | $52,175 |
| Konik | Auto CAD Drafter | Saint Paul, MN | 06/21/2025 | $45,914 |
| Insight Global | Computer Aided Design Drafter | Schenectady, NY | 06/21/2025 | $52,175 |
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