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Draftsperson salary
Average draftsperson salary
$41,751
Understanding Draftsperson Salaries
The salary of a draftsperson varies based on several factors, including geographical location, years of experience, and the specific industry. In general, entry-level draftspersons can expect to start around $35,000 annually, while those with more experience or specialized skills may earn upwards of $60,000 or more. States such as California and New York tend to offer higher salaries due to increased demand for skilled professionals in the field.
Salary by Experience Level
For instance, a draftsperson with less than five years of experience may earn around $40,000 per year, while those with five to ten years can see salaries rise to $50,000. With over ten years of experience, salaries often exceed $60,000, reflecting the value of expertise in the industry.
Where to Find Higher Salaries
In addition to location, specialization plays a vital role in salary potential. Draftspersons working in architecture or engineering sectors typically earn more than those in manufacturing. Continual professional development and certification can further enhance earning potential. Overall, pursuing a career as a draftsperson offers rewarding opportunities with competitive salaries, especially for those willing to invest in their skills.
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Where can a Draftsperson earn more?
Draftsperson salaries by experience level
Draftsperson salary estimates from across the web
Average draftsperson salary by state
The average draftsperson salary in New York, Maryland, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average draftsperson salary states are Mississippi, Kansas, and Wyoming.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for draftspeople
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $48,261 | $23.20 |
| 2 | Illinois | $46,028 | $22.13 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $43,010 | $20.68 |
| 4 | New York | $49,073 | $23.59 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $47,752 | $22.96 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $52,299 | $25.14 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $46,102 | $22.16 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $45,906 | $22.07 |
| 9 | Tennessee | $39,505 | $18.99 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $38,540 | $18.53 |
| 11 | Arizona | $40,201 | $19.33 |
| 12 | California | $43,937 | $21.12 |
| 13 | Kentucky | $41,493 | $19.95 |
| 14 | South Carolina | $40,851 | $19.64 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $42,021 | $20.20 |
| 16 | Ohio | $40,652 | $19.54 |
| 17 | Indiana | $41,880 | $20.13 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $39,329 | $18.91 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $41,491 | $19.95 |
| 20 | Nevada | $38,270 | $18.40 |
| 21 | Delaware | $42,986 | $20.67 |
| 22 | Connecticut | $42,164 | $20.27 |
| 23 | Virginia | $42,316 | $20.34 |
| 24 | Oregon | $38,418 | $18.47 |
| 25 | Vermont | $41,124 | $19.77 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $37,085 | $17.83 |
| 27 | Washington | $37,691 | $18.12 |
| 28 | Texas | $37,527 | $18.04 |
| 29 | Colorado | $37,894 | $18.22 |
| 30 | Florida | $37,357 | $17.96 |
| 31 | Iowa | $35,770 | $17.20 |
| 32 | Georgia | $36,186 | $17.40 |
| 33 | Montana | $36,173 | $17.39 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $37,943 | $18.24 |
| 35 | Missouri | $37,657 | $18.10 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $37,255 | $17.91 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $42,618 | $20.49 |
| 38 | Utah | $35,392 | $17.02 |
| 39 | New Hampshire | $37,741 | $18.14 |
| 40 | Michigan | $36,615 | $17.60 |
| 41 | Minnesota | $35,264 | $16.95 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $34,831 | $16.75 |
| 43 | Alaska | $34,914 | $16.79 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $33,992 | $16.34 |
| 45 | Idaho | $31,690 | $15.24 |
| 46 | Kansas | $33,410 | $16.06 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $33,483 | $16.10 |
| 48 | Alabama | $30,920 | $14.87 |
| 49 | Maine | $31,851 | $15.31 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $34,003 | $16.35 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $32,964 | $15.85 |
Highest paying cities for draftspeople
The highest-paying cities for draftspeople are New York, NY, Annapolis, MD, and Chicago, IL.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $49,498 | $23.80 |
| 2 | Annapolis, MD | $48,353 | $23.25 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $46,474 | $22.34 |
| 4 | Cranston, RI | $46,151 | $22.19 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $45,098 | $21.68 |
| 6 | Stamford, CT | $42,952 | $20.65 |
| 7 | Hammond, IN | $42,008 | $20.20 |
| 8 | Chelsea, MA | $41,718 | $20.06 |
| 9 | Columbus, OH | $40,791 | $19.61 |
| 10 | Bismarck, ND | $39,175 | $18.83 |
| 11 | Memphis, TN | $38,789 | $18.65 |
| 12 | Portland, OR | $38,160 | $18.35 |
| 13 | Houston, TX | $37,829 | $18.19 |
| 14 | Miami, FL | $37,751 | $18.15 |
| 15 | Atlanta, GA | $36,017 | $17.32 |
| 16 | Murray, UT | $35,188 | $16.92 |
| 17 | Fayetteville, AR | $34,540 | $16.61 |
| 18 | Topeka, KS | $33,408 | $16.06 |
| 19 | Twin Falls, ID | $31,853 | $15.31 |
Draftsperson salary details
A draftsperson's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $63,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a draftsperson's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| 75th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
| Average | $41,751 | $3,479 | $20 |
| 25th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
Highest paying draftsperson jobs
The highest paying types of draftspeople are architectural technician, architectural designer, and autocad designer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autocad Designer | $55,786 | $4,649 | $26.82 | 46,459 |
| Architectural Designer | $59,122 | $4,927 | $28.42 | 54,358 |
| Truss Designer | $50,866 | $4,239 | $24.45 | 45,424 |
| Architectural Internship | $53,914 | $4,493 | $25.92 | 57,981 |
| Architectural Draftsman | $52,382 | $4,365 | $25.18 | 5,528 |
| Computer Aided Drafter | $43,520 | $3,627 | $20.92 | 16,907 |
Top companies hiring draftspeople now:
Which companies pay draftspeople the most?
Draftsperson salaries at Basin Electric Power Cooperative and AO Architects are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average draftsperson salary at companies like David Weekley Homes and Keymark are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basin Electric Power Cooperative | $65,274 | $31.38 |
| 2 | AO Architects | $50,608 | $24.33 |
| 3 | David Weekley Homes | $47,882 | $23.02 |
| 4 | Keymark | $47,676 | $22.92 |
| 5 | Chobani | $45,973 | $22.10 |
| 6 | Vencore | $43,647 | $20.98 |
| 7 | Tyson Foods | $43,030 | $20.69 |
| 8 | Orbital Engineering | $42,354 | $20.36 |
| 9 | Strategic Factory | $40,627 | $19.53 |
| 10 | Benderson Development | $40,588 | $19.51 |
| 11 | K Hovnanian Companies Of New York Inc | $40,552 | $19.50 |
| 12 | Peraton | $40,521 | $19.48 |
| 13 | production glue | $40,301 | $19.38 |
| 14 | Zachary Nunn | $39,900 | $19.18 |
| 15 | Applied Tech | $38,757 | $18.63 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Draftsperson salary by industry
The average draftsperson salary varies across industries:
- The average draftsperson salary in the technology industry is $61,618, the highest of any industry.
- The average draftsperson salary in the finance industry is $44,120.
- Draftspeople in the retail industry earn an average salary of $41,147, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for draftspeople
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $61,618 | $29.62 |
| 2 | Professional | $44,120 | $21.21 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $42,265 | $20.32 |
| 4 | Retail | $41,147 | $19.78 |
High paying draftsperson jobs
Draftsperson salary trends
The average draftsperson salary has risen by $7,443 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average draftsperson earned $34,308 annually, but today, they earn $41,751 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for draftspeople over the last decade.
Compare draftsperson salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average draftsperson salary over time
Compare draftsperson salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Draftsperson salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $41,800 | $20.07 | +2.0% |
| 2025 | $40,900 | $19.67 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $39,900 | $19.17 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $38,400 | $18.46 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | $37,500 | $18.03 | +1.8% |
Recently added draftsperson salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Automation | Draftsperson | San Luis Obispo, CA | 06/21/2025 | $70,353 |
| Amentum | Engineering Draftsperson | Waimea, HI | 06/14/2025 | $95,084 |
| Sierra Pacific Industries | Draftsperson | Anderson, CA | 06/13/2025 | $56,349 |
| Premier Cooperative | Residential Draftsperson & Estimator | Mount Horeb, WI | 05/24/2025 | $65,000 |
| Trust Automation | Draftsperson | San Luis Obispo, CA | 04/28/2025 | $70,353 |
| Delta Sonic | Cad/Draftsperson | Buffalo, NY | 04/24/2025 | $41,740 |
| Actalent | Electrical Draftsperson | Akron, OH | 04/19/2025 | $54,158 |
| Exelon | Draftsperson C Nerc | Mays Landing, NJ | 04/18/2025 | $67,494 |
| Trustautomation | Draftsperson | San Luis Obispo, CA | 03/26/2025 | $70,353 |
| The Agency | Draftsperson-(Engineering Tech I) (45711) | Madison, WI | 03/23/2025 | $47,292 |
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