Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Detail drafter salary
Average detail drafter salary
$44,472
Detail Drafter Salary Overview
The average salary for a Detail Drafter is approximately $44,472 per year, or around $21 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on location, years of experience, and the specific industry. For instance, more experienced drafters may earn salaries exceeding this average, particularly in high-demand regions.
Salary by State
Analyzing the average salary by state reveals considerable differences. States with a higher cost of living, such as California and New York, typically offer higher salaries for detail drafters. Conversely, states with lower living costs may provide salaries closer to the national average.
Top Paying Cities
Cities like San Francisco, New York, and Seattle rank among the highest for detail drafter salaries. These urban areas often host large engineering and architectural firms, leading to increased demand and compensation for skilled drafters.
Job Opportunities
Detail drafters are essential in industries such as manufacturing, construction, and engineering. With a growing need for skilled professionals in these sectors, pursuing a career as a detail drafter can lead to stable employment and opportunities for advancement.
Let Zippia find your next detail drafter job
Let Zippia find your next detail drafter job
Where can a Detail Drafter earn more?
Average detail drafter salary by state
The average detail drafter salary in California, New Mexico, and Arkansas are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average detail drafter salary states are Tennessee, Virginia, and Wyoming.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for detail drafters
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia | $45,967 | $22.10 |
| 2 | New Mexico | $50,806 | $24.43 |
| 3 | Ohio | $46,935 | $22.56 |
| 4 | Arkansas | $49,551 | $23.82 |
| 5 | California | $51,270 | $24.65 |
| 6 | Arizona | $43,877 | $21.09 |
| 7 | Florida | $44,176 | $21.24 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $47,905 | $23.03 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $43,630 | $20.98 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $45,737 | $21.99 |
| 11 | Texas | $43,584 | $20.95 |
| 12 | Delaware | $45,857 | $22.05 |
| 13 | Oklahoma | $46,056 | $22.14 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $46,965 | $22.58 |
| 15 | Michigan | $45,704 | $21.97 |
| 16 | South Carolina | $44,650 | $21.47 |
| 17 | Louisiana | $46,244 | $22.23 |
| 18 | Iowa | $40,961 | $19.69 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $43,754 | $21.04 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $40,653 | $19.54 |
| 21 | Montana | $41,746 | $20.07 |
| 22 | Kansas | $40,866 | $19.65 |
| 23 | Colorado | $43,038 | $20.69 |
| 24 | New York | $45,472 | $21.86 |
| 25 | Mississippi | $42,927 | $20.64 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $40,523 | $19.48 |
| 27 | Vermont | $44,181 | $21.24 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $42,179 | $20.28 |
| 29 | Missouri | $41,354 | $19.88 |
| 30 | Connecticut | $43,600 | $20.96 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $41,265 | $19.84 |
| 32 | Nevada | $41,541 | $19.97 |
| 33 | Illinois | $42,470 | $20.42 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $47,413 | $22.79 |
| 35 | District of Columbia | $45,226 | $21.74 |
| 36 | Alabama | $38,833 | $18.67 |
| 37 | Utah | $40,265 | $19.36 |
| 38 | Alaska | $44,261 | $21.28 |
| 39 | New Jersey | $43,120 | $20.73 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $38,574 | $18.55 |
| 41 | Oregon | $38,819 | $18.66 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $38,682 | $18.60 |
| 43 | Maryland | $40,452 | $19.45 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $39,137 | $18.82 |
| 45 | Indiana | $38,838 | $18.67 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $37,231 | $17.90 |
| 47 | New Hampshire | $40,695 | $19.56 |
| 48 | Maine | $36,358 | $17.48 |
| 49 | Idaho | $35,096 | $16.87 |
| 50 | Washington | $36,016 | $17.32 |
| 51 | Virginia | $37,600 | $18.08 |
Highest paying cities for detail drafters
The highest-paying cities for detail drafters are Modesto, CA, Little Rock, AR, and Cleveland, OH.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Modesto, CA | $51,624 | $24.82 |
| 2 | Little Rock, AR | $49,633 | $23.86 |
| 3 | Cleveland, OH | $47,930 | $23.04 |
| 4 | Atlanta, GA | $45,913 | $22.07 |
| 5 | Houston, TX | $43,899 | $21.11 |
| 6 | Tempe, AZ | $43,876 | $21.09 |
| 7 | York, PA | $43,586 | $20.95 |
| 8 | Vineland, NJ | $43,457 | $20.89 |
| 9 | Windsor, CT | $42,896 | $20.62 |
| 10 | Greensboro, NC | $41,450 | $19.93 |
| 11 | Kansas City, MO | $41,051 | $19.74 |
| 12 | Waukesha, WI | $40,778 | $19.60 |
| 13 | Baltimore, MD | $40,610 | $19.52 |
| 14 | Fort Wayne, IN | $39,534 | $19.01 |
| 15 | Montgomery, AL | $38,959 | $18.73 |
| 16 | McMinnville, OR | $38,824 | $18.67 |
| 17 | Minneapolis, MN | $38,701 | $18.61 |
| 18 | Memphis, TN | $38,648 | $18.58 |
| 19 | Salem, VA | $35,911 | $17.26 |
| 20 | Caldwell, ID | $35,228 | $16.94 |
Detail drafter salary details
A detail drafter's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $59,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a detail drafter's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
| 75th Percentile | $51,000 | $4,250 | $25 |
| Average | $44,472 | $3,706 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Highest paying detail drafter jobs
The highest paying types of detail drafters are tool design checker, design checker, and die designer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Aided Design Designer | $60,150 | $5,012 | $28.92 | 92,503 |
| Design Checker | $75,126 | $6,260 | $36.12 | 42,876 |
| Draftsman | $42,908 | $3,576 | $20.63 | 3,143 |
| Drafting Engineer | $50,871 | $4,239 | $24.46 | 8,823 |
| Detailer/Designer | $64,845 | $5,404 | $31.18 | 51,517 |
| Computer Aided Drafter | $43,520 | $3,627 | $20.92 | 16,907 |
Top companies hiring detail drafters now:
Which companies pay detail drafters the most?
Detail drafter salaries at Hendrick Manufacturing and Northrop Grumman are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average detail drafter salary at companies like Steel Dynamics and EMCOR Group are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hendrick Manufacturing | $55,379 | $26.62 |
| 2 | Northrop Grumman | $53,646 | $25.79 |
| 3 | Steel Dynamics | $51,838 | $24.92 |
| 4 | EMCOR Group | $51,574 | $24.80 |
| 5 | Brochsteins | $49,857 | $23.97 |
| 6 | Big-D Construction | $48,909 | $23.51 |
| 7 | Belcan | $47,487 | $22.83 |
| 8 | Nucor | $44,796 | $21.54 |
| 9 | Steward Machine | $44,582 | $21.43 |
| 10 | Blaine Event Services | $44,323 | $21.31 |
| 11 | Kelly Services | $43,159 | $20.75 |
| 12 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $43,140 | $20.74 |
| 13 | Whirlwind Steel Buildings | $40,794 | $19.61 |
| 14 | R.M. Schulte & Associates | $40,231 | $19.34 |
| 15 | Express Employment Indy South | $39,685 | $19.08 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Detail Drafter salary by industry
The average detail drafter salary varies across industries:
- The average detail drafter salary in the manufacturing industry is $47,665, the highest of any industry.
- The average detail drafter salary in the finance industry is $46,490.
- Detail drafters in the education industry earn an average salary of $44,059, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for detail drafters
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $47,665 | $22.92 |
| 2 | Construction | $46,490 | $22.35 |
| 3 | Professional | $44,366 | $21.33 |
| 4 | Internet | $44,300 | $21.30 |
| 5 | Education | $44,059 | $21.18 |
High paying detail drafter jobs
Detail drafter salary trends
The average detail drafter salary has risen by $6,922 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average detail drafter earned $37,550 annually, but today, they earn $44,472 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for detail drafters over the last decade.
Compare detail drafter salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average detail drafter salary over time
Compare detail drafter salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Detail drafter salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $44,500 | $21.38 | +2.1% |
| 2025 | $43,500 | $20.94 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $42,700 | $20.52 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $42,100 | $20.23 | +1.2% |
| 2022 | $41,600 | $19.99 | +1.8% |
Recently added detail drafter salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Metals | In-Person Drafter/Detailer With | Frederick, MD | 06/28/2025 | $52,175 |
| Nucor Corporation | Drafter/Detailer | Chemung, NY | 06/20/2025 | $59,900 |
| Nv5 | Bridge Drafter/Detailer | Seattle, WA | 05/16/2025 | $70,248 |
| Nv5 Global, Inc. | Bridge Drafter/Detailer | Seattle, WA | 05/15/2025 | $70,248 |
| Wabtec | Detail Drafter 4 | Erie, PA | 04/28/2025 | $50,088 |
| Selectek, Inc. | Drafter/Detailer | Braselton, GA | 03/05/2025 | $41,740 |
| Wabtec | Detail Drafter 4 | Erie, PA | 02/25/2025 | $50,088 |
| Selectek, Inc. | Drafter/Detailer | Braselton, GA | 02/25/2025 | $41,740 |
| Actalent | Detail Drafter | Carol Stream, IL | 02/19/2025 | $52,175 |
| Big D Metalworks | Detailer/Drafter | Dallas, TX | 11/21/2024 | $30,000 |
Detail drafter salary FAQs
Search for detail drafter jobs