Architectural and Civil Drafters Salary
Architecture and Engineering Occupations · 104K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$66,150
Median hourly
$32
Average annual
$70,740
Typical range
$46,260–$99,710
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Architectural and Civil Drafters is $66,150 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $32 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Prepare detailed drawings of architectural and structural features of buildings or drawings and topographical relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, and public works. Use knowledge of building materials, engineering practices, and mathematics to complete drawings..
Most earn between $46,260 and $99,710 a year. There are roughly 104K people employed as architectural and civil drafters in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Architectural and Civil Drafters.
- Hourly
- $31.80
- Daily
- $254
- Weekly
- $1,272
- Bi-weekly
- $2,544
- Monthly
- $5,513
- Annual
- $66,150
$66,150 a year is around the 50th percentile for Architectural and Civil Drafterss. The median is $66,150.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1District of Columbia$97,880
- 2Massachusetts$76,990
- 3California$76,520
- 4Colorado$76,370
- 5Connecticut$76,290
- 6New York$76,260
- 7Maryland$75,180
- 8Georgia$74,940
- 9Oregon$74,000
- 10Delaware$73,040
- 11Washington$73,000
- 12Rhode Island$71,700
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$84,440
- 2Rochester, MN$83,780
- 3Waterbury-Shelton, CT$83,630
- 4San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$82,820
- 5San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$81,130
- 6Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$80,040
- 7Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$79,860
- 8Lake Charles, LA$79,540
- 9Dalton, GA$79,410
- 10Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$79,310
- 11San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$78,340
- 12Lexington Park, MD$78,010
Related job titles
Employers advertise Architectural and Civil Drafters roles under these titles.
- Architectural Designer
- Architectural Drafter
- Architectural Draftsman
- Architectural Technician
- Architectural Technologist
- Architecture Drafter
- Architecture Technician
- AutoCAD Designer (Auto Computer-Aided Design Designer)
- AutoCAD Drafter (Auto Computer-Aided Design Drafter)
- Building Drafter
- CAD Designer (Computer Aided Design Designer)
- CAD Drafter (Computer Aided Design Drafter)
- CAD Draftsman (Computer-Aided Design Draftsman)
- CAD Draughter (Computer Aided Design Draughter)
- Civil Designer
- Civil Drafter
Related occupations
- Mechanical Drafters$71,550
- Electrical and Electronics Drafters$76,870
- Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$64,950
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,510
- Civil Engineers$100,840
- Architectural and Engineering Managers$171,270
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$99,280
- Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic$63,870
What a Architectural and Civil Drafters does
- Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.
- Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes.
- Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans.
- Analyze building codes, by-laws, space and site requirements, and other technical documents and reports to determine their effect on architectural designs.
- Draw maps, diagrams, and profiles, using cross-sections and surveys, to represent elevations, topographical contours, subsurface formations, and structures.
- Lay out and plan interior room arrangements for commercial buildings, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment and software.
- Supervise and train other technologists, technicians, and drafters.
- Determine the order of work and method of presentation, such as orthographic or isometric drawing.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Architectural and Civil Drafters make?
- The median annual wage for Architectural and Civil Drafters is $66,150 ($32 per hour). Pay ranges from about $46,260 at the 10th percentile to $99,710 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Architectural and Civil Drafters?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $70,740, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Architectural and Civil Drafterss the most?
- District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $97,880.
- Is Architectural and Civil Drafters a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 104K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Architectural and Civil Drafters do?
- Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.; Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes.; Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans..