Architectural and Civil Drafters pay range in San Jose
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $55,100 a year or less, while the top 10% make $132,600 or more. The middle half of architectural and civil drafters in San Jose earn between $69,800 and $104,410.
- $55K10th
- $70K25th
- $83KMedian
- $104K75th
- $133K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $93,870 | $7,822 | $45.13 |
| Median | $82,820 | $6,902 | $39.82 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $69,800 | $5,817 | $33.56 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $104,410 | $8,701 | $50.20 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Architectural and Civil Drafters pay in San Jose vs. California and the U.S.
Architectural and civil drafters in San Jose earn 17% more than the California average ($80,360) and 33% more than the U.S. average ($70,740). At the median the gap is +25% against the U.S. median of $66,150.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose | $93,870 | $82,820 | $55,100 | $132,600 | 610 |
| California | $80,360 | $76,520 | $49,850 | $114,600 | 11,400 |
| United States | $70,740 | $66,150 | $46,260 | $99,710 | 103,700 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Architectural and Civil Drafters salary after taxes in San Jose
On the average salary of $93,870, a single filer in San Jose takes home about $70,230 a year, or $5,852 a month and $2,701 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Jose a good place for architectural and civil drafters? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Jose area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 110.4), so the average $93,870 buys what about $85,009 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in San Jose ($84,050). A typical home costs $1,610,466, or 17.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Architectural and Civil Drafters salary in other California cities
San Jose ranks 1st of 21 California metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- San Jose$93,870
- San Francisco$89,290
- Santa Rosa$83,110
- Sacramento$80,760
- Napa$79,960
- San Diego$79,500
- Los Angeles$79,180
- Vallejo$79,070
- Chico$77,610
- San Luis Obispo$76,710
Highest-paying cities for architectural and civil drafters
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($93,870).
- San Jose, CA$93,870
- Lake Charles, LA$90,720
- San Francisco, CA$89,290
- Denver, CO$83,770
- Rochester, MN$83,220
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Architectural and Civil Drafters salary in San Jose: questions
How much do architectural and civil drafters make an hour in San Jose?
$45.13 an hour on average, and $39.82 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level architectural and civil drafters salary in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $55,100 a year and the 25th percentile is $69,800, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the architectural and civil drafters take-home pay in San Jose?
About $70,230 a year ($5,852 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $93,870. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do architectural and civil drafters earn more in San Jose than elsewhere?
The average here is 33% more than the U.S. average for this job ($70,740).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-3011; area San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (41940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.7%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.81, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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